Kentucky plane crash: Black boxes recovered in UPS aircraft tragedy as death toll rises to 12

Authorities said they have recovered the black boxes from Tuesday’s UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville - key pieces of evidence as investigators look into the cause of the fiery crash that killed at least 12.

Investigators have seen video that shows the plane’s left engine detaching from the wing during take-off, National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman said Wednesday. He said investigators believe they have found the engine near the crash site.

Several people were still missing, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said on X late Wednesday while updating the death toll. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said Wednesday at a separate briefing that first responders are shifting from a rescue to recovery operation and that authorities “do not expect to find anyone else alive in the area.”

Mr Inman said that shortly after UPS Flight 2976 was cleared for take-off, flames could be seen on the aircraft. Video shows the plane ablaze and flying at a low altitude shortly before crashing into a large fireball about 5.14pm local time. The plane, bound for Hawaii and laden with 143,000 litres of fuel, narrowly missed a restaurant and struck an auto parts lot and a petroleum recycling centre, Beshear said.

The crash sparked an inferno that sent oil spilling across roads and into waterways and cast a plume of black smoke over the city, officials said.

“Louisville looked apocalyptic last night,” said the city’s Congressman Morgan McGarvey.

Mr Inman said the debris field spans roughly half a mile. He said nearby residents may have pieces of plane debris on their property, asking them to contact authorities if they find any - but not to touch it.

Mr Beshear declared a state of emergency Wednesday to open up additional resources to respond to the incident, he said.

Kentucky officials praised the support they received from federal agencies to respond to the crash. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy on Wednesday expressed his condolences for the victims’ families and said he spoke with a union leader for UPS pilots who knew the pilots on the plane.

The victims have not been publicly identified. It may take longer to identify some of them given the extent of crash damage, Mr Beshear said Wednesday in a news conference held after he surveyed the site.

At least 15 people were injured in the crash and treated by UofL Health at the University of Louisville, according to spokeswoman Heather Fountaine. As of Wednesday afternoon, 13 patients had been discharged and two remained in critical condition, hospital CEO Jason Smith said.

Three crew members were on board the plane, and people on the ground were caught up in the subsequent explosion. Monica Harkins, Louisville Metro Emergency Services public information officer, said she could not confirm whether the crew members were among the dead.

Mr Inman said the airport’s control tower was fully staffed the night of the crash. He added that the government shutdown will not affect the NTSB’s investigation.

“We have everyone we need and then some in order to make sure we’re performing this investigation,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was on the scene, as well. The FAA also sent a team to provide support to the controllers who were on duty at the time of the crash.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said on X on Wednesday morning that “our thoughts are with the families of the tragic UPS Flight 2976 crash flight crew.”

As they saw flames from the plane Tuesday, diners and employees at the nearby Stooges Bar and Grill sprinted away, fearing they might be hit. They heard an explosion and saw black smoke filling the air.

Everyone evacuated safely from the bar, which sits just a few blocks from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and seemingly did not suffer severe damage from the plane crash, Stooges owner Debbie Self said.

Ms Self said she hadn’t been allowed to return to the bar since Tuesday night, with roads closed off while first responders worked. Midday Wednesday, investigators asked Ms Self to come to the bar, talk with police and open the bathrooms for emergency crews to use. She immediately got in her car.

“I’ve got to go see it,” she said. “It’s my world.”

Residents and businesses immediately around the crash site have been told not to drink tap water, but drinking water in the rest of the city is safe, Mr Beshear said. About 230 customers were without either gas or electricity Wednesday morning, according to Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities.

The airport reopened Wednesday after all inbound and outbound flights were suspended following the crash, though the FAA said that multiple taxiways remained closed. About 37 flights were cancelled Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.

Officials expect the site to remain dangerous for several days. All Jefferson County Public Schools were closed Wednesday and will reopen Thursday, the district said on X.

Mr Beshear directed flags in the state to be flown at half-staff in honour of the victims, Cr Greenberg said on X.

There have been at least two other fatal crashes involving UPS aircraft, according to NTSB records. The most recent was in 2013, in Birmingham, Alabama. Two people, the captain and first officer, were killed. Another occurred in Dubai in 2010.

According to the aviation analytics data firm Cirium, there are 58 MD-11 aircraft in service. The vast majority are operated by UPS and FedEx.

The Louisville airport is home to the UPS Worldport global air hub, which processes more than 2 million packages per day. The company, which employs more than 25,000 people in Louisville, said early Wednesday that it was continuing to halt some operations at the hub.

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