UPS cargo plane engine separation kills 15 in Louisville crash

On November 4 2025 a UPS cargo flight (MD‑11F, registration N259UP) crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky. The left engine and its pylon detached from the wing while the aircraft was still low to the ground, causing the jet to lose control and strike industrial buildings. The accident claimed 15 lives – the three crew members aboard and 12 people on the ground – and injured more than 20 others.

Newly released video from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows the exact moment the engine and pylon separate, followed by flames and a massive fireball. Investigators have focused on a cracked spherical bearing in the engine‑mount assembly, a fatigue‑type failure that had been noted in earlier MD‑11 incidents. Boeing had issued a non‑mandatory service bulletin in 2011 warning of the issue, but the Federal Aviation Administration never required a mandatory replacement. The NTSB’s two‑day hearing this week will examine why the flaw was not addressed earlier and how maintenance practices may have contributed.

In response, UPS has announced the retirement of its MD‑11 fleet, replacing the aircraft with newer Boeing 767s. The FAA temporarily grounded all MD‑11s after the crash, later allowing a limited return to service after Boeing’s revised inspection and bearing‑replacement procedures were approved. The investigation is expected to continue for more than a year before a final report is issued.