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Gone quiet · last update May 19, 2026 / Kentucky

The Louisville UPS plane crash and the grounding of the MD-11

Overview · reviewed October 28, 2026

On November 4, 2025, a UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, after its left engine separated from the wing; 15 people were killed.[1][2][3] The Federal Aviation Administration grounded MD-11s for inspection, UPS retired its fleet in January 2026, and investigators have pinpointed the part that failed.[4][5][3]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded MD-11s for inspection, UPS retired its fleet in January 2026, and investigators have pinpointed the part that failed.[4][5][3]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · weekly (UTC)

Week of 2025-11-03 (UTC): 33%, 68 of 209 tracked outlets (16 left, 36 center, 16 right)Week of 2025-11-10 (UTC): 4%, 7 of 188 tracked outlets (1 left, 4 center, 2 right)Week of 2025-11-17 (UTC): 13%, 24 of 189 tracked outlets (5 left, 17 center, 2 right)Week of 2025-11-24 (UTC): 13%, 20 of 153 tracked outlets (7 left, 10 center, 3 right)Week of 2025-12-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2025-12-22 (UTC): 7%, 10 of 139 tracked outlets (2 left, 6 center, 2 right)Week of 2025-12-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-12 (UTC): 9%, 17 of 191 tracked outlets (4 left, 12 center, 1 right)Week of 2026-01-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-01-26 (UTC): 4%, 7 of 189 tracked outlets (2 left, 2 center, 3 right)Week of 2026-02-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-02-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-16 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-23 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-03-30 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-04-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-04 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-05-11 (UTC): 2%, 4 of 176 tracked outlets (0 left, 4 center, 0 right)Week of 2026-05-18 (UTC): 5%, 10 of 197 tracked outlets (3 left, 6 center, 1 right)Week of 2026-05-25 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-01 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-08 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-15 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-22 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-06-29 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-06 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-13 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-20 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-07-27 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-03 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-10 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-17 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outlets, so far

LeftCenterRightLighter bar: this week so far

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 5 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (9 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
May 18, 202636110 of 1975%
May 11, 20260404 of 1762%
Jan 26, 20262237 of 1894%
Jan 12, 2026412117 of 1919%
Dec 22, 202526210 of 1397%
Nov 24, 2025710320 of 15313%
Nov 17, 2025517224 of 18913%
Nov 10, 20251427 of 1884%
Nov 3, 202516361668 of 20933%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. May 18, 2026 · first reported · Headline from NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

    NTSB opens hearings on why UPS cargo plane engine fell off, causing deadly crash

Background

Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed at least 11 deaths in the first days.[6] Federal officials ordered MD-11s grounded pending inspection, reinforcing cargo carriers' own decision to ground their fleets,[4] and the National Transportation Safety Board released images showing the left engine separating and going up and over the wing.[2] UPS said its MD-11s would miss the holiday season,[7] and a man injured in the crash died on Christmas Day, bringing the toll to 15.[8][9]

In January the NTSB identified the part that failed,[3] and UPS retired its MD-11s.[5] The model resumed flying in May 2026,[10] and the NTSB held a two-day hearing on the crash.[11]

Supporting stories (11)
  1. At least 12 killed, others injured after a UPS plane crashes near the Louisville airport
  2. Investigators say UPS plane that crashed in Kentucky, killing 14, had cracks in engine mount
  3. UPS plane crash update: Part that broke failed 4 times on other aircraft years ago
  4. MD-11 planes grounded by UPS, FedEx after Kentucky crash
  5. UPS retires fleet of MD-11 aircraft months after fatal Kentucky crash killed 15
  6. UPS plane crash victims named by Kentucky officials
  7. Fleet of UPS planes grounded after deadly crash expected to miss peak delivery season
  8. UPS plane crash death toll rises to 15 as victim dies on Christmas Day
  9. UPS plane crash in Louisville claims 15th victim weeks after fiery takeoff failure
  10. The MD-11 cargo planes involved in last fall's deadly UPS crash in Kentucky return to the air
  11. Hearings to focus on why a UPS cargo plane engine fell off, causing deadly crash

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 11 recorded updates

May 2026

  1. Hearings to focus on why a UPS cargo plane engine fell off, causing deadly crashHeadline from NBC News · 10 outlets
  2. The MD-11 cargo planes involved in last fall's deadly UPS crash in Kentucky return to the airHeadline from NBC Los Angeles · 4 outlets

January 2026

  1. UPS retires fleet of MD-11 aircraft months after fatal Kentucky crash killed 15Headline from New York Post · 7 outlets
  2. UPS plane crash update: Part that broke failed 4 times on other aircraft years agoHeadline from FOX 35 Orlando · 17 outlets

December 2025

  1. UPS plane crash death toll rises to 15 as victim dies on Christmas DayHeadline from WISH-TV Indianapolis · 8 outlets
  2. UPS plane crash in Louisville claims 15th victim weeks after fiery takeoff failureHeadline from Fox2 Detroit · 2 outlets

November 2025

  1. Fleet of UPS planes grounded after deadly crash expected to miss peak delivery seasonHeadline from Seattle Times · 20 outlets
  2. Investigators say UPS plane that crashed in Kentucky, killing 14, had cracks in engine mountHeadline from WTOP Washington DC · 24 outlets
  3. MD-11 planes grounded by UPS, FedEx after Kentucky crashHeadline from Fox26 Houston · 34 outlets
  4. UPS plane crash victims named by Kentucky officialsHeadline from NBC10 Philadelphia · 28 outlets
  5. At least 12 killed, others injured after a UPS plane crashes near the Louisville airportHeadline from KYMA Yuma · 60 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →