20251104016149A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11F · Louisville, KY · November 4, 2025

Date: November 4, 2025 · 17:13 local
Place: Louisville, KY
Airport: Louisville Muhammad Ali International
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: IPXA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N259UP
NTSB investigation: NTSBDCA26MA024
Reported as: Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11F
Reported engine: GE CF6-80C2D1F
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 14
Other injuries: 0

N259UPRegistration cancelled Feb 20, 2026 · Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11FS/N 48417 · Built 1991 Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas MD-11F Engine modelGE CF6-80C2D1FTurbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The airplane took off from sdf about 1713 and video of the airplane shows the no. 1 (left) engine and pylon separating and subsequent fire on the left

Wing. The airplane cleared the blast fence but then impacted two buildings at the edge of the airport and was consumed by fire.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF FROM SDF ABOUT 1713 AND VIDEO OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWS THE NO. 1 (LEFT) ENGINE AND PYLON SEPARATING AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE ON THE LEFT

WING. THE AIRPLANE CLEARED THE BLAST FENCE BUT THEN IMPACTED TWO BUILDINGS AT THE EDGE OF THE AIRPORT AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DCA26MA024Accident · 14 fatalClass 1 · MajorPreliminary reportLouisville, KYOn November 4, 2025, about 1714 eastern standard time (EST), United Parcel Service (UPS) flight 2976, a Boeing (McDonnell-Douglas) MD-11F airplane, N259UP, was destroyed after it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from runway 17R at Louisville Muhammad…Nov 4, 2025 · Destroyed