At Least Nine Killed in Cargo Plane Crash at Airport in Louisville, Kentucky

What Happened?

A United Parcel Service (UPS) cargo plane crashed on takeoff yesterday at Louisville Muhammed Ali International Airport, killing at least nine people. Over a dozen people remain missing, and several more were injured as the plane slammed into buildings near the runway. 

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said on Wednesday that the airport had reopened its runway so that flights were able to resume. UPS also issued a statement saying they had not yet confirmed any fatalities. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said he believed the flight crew of the downed plane had been killed along with at least six others. 

Why it Matters

According to the National Transportation and Safety Board, there have been sixty fatal airplane crashes in the United States in 2025. There have also been an increasing number of near misses, close calls, and other alarming but non-fatal incidents in the commercial aviation sector this year, leading many travelers to worry about their safety. 

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Because the UPS plane that crashed in Louisville was a cargo plane, the number of fatalities will likely be lower than those for similarly sized passenger aircraft. Video footage of the crash appeared to show the plane slamming into the ground on its takeoff roll after pitching violently to one side just after becoming airborne. Though it’s far too early to draw conclusions, for a cargo plane, an improperly stored cargo load could have caused the crash. 

If cargo loads are not properly secured and balanced, they can shift once the plane starts moving. A cargo load that shifts too much can throw off the balance of the entire aircraft, causing it to pitch up, down, or to the side in such a way that it becomes unflyable. There are many other potential reasons why a plane might behave the way the UPS plane did on takeoff, but with a freight plane, an improperly balanced cargo load is a logical suspect.

There is no evidence thus far that staffing shortages at the airport played any role in the crash. Air traffic controllers, TSA agents, and other government personnel have been going without pay for weeks, leading many to stay home instead of showing up to work without pay. That in turn has caused staffing shortages at numerous airports across the United States, leading to widespread delays for air travelers.

How it Affects You

Air crash investigations can take months to complete, even when there is video footage of the crash, as was the case with the Louisville incident. A thorough investigation requires gathering and examining all the available physical evidence, which is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Currently, there are no indications of any further risk to the public from this incident.