Timeline: Flight Data Depicts UPS Cargo Jet’s Final Minutes Before Fatal KY Crash
As of Wednesday morning, at least 12 people have died following the crash at Louisville’s airport. The UPS cargo plane that crashed late Tuesday afternoon was on a regularly scheduled flight operated three times a week to Honolulu, according to public aviation data.
The wide-body, tri-engine McDonnell Douglas MD-11F arrived from Baltimore Tuesday morning and was set to depart Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at 3 p.m., Flightradar24.com shows. However, the jet did not start moving down the runway until about 5:08 p.m., per real-time flight tracking data.
The cause of the two-hour delay remains unclear. Videos from the site capture the aircraft speeding down Louisville's longest runway with the No. 1 left wing engine on fire. Seconds later, after climbing only 175 feet, the Boeing-made jet veered toward an industrial park just south of the airport, crashed into nearby buildings, and exploded.
Final Moments According to Flight Data
- The plane was loaded with 38,000 gallons of jet fuel.
- First responders arrived swiftly to control the resulting blaze.
This story was originally published November 5, 2025, 1:14 PM.
Author's summary: Flight data and eyewitness reports reveal the tragic final minutes of a UPS cargo jet that crashed near Louisville airport, causing multiple fatalities and a massive fire.