UPS Plane Crash in Kentucky Claims 12 Lives Amid Investigation and Misinformation

A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday evening, killing at least 12 people, including a child. The disaster has prompted a federal investigation while simultaneously triggering a wave of false reports about the victims on social media.

According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Member Todd Inman, who briefed media on Wednesday, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F freighter was bound for Honolulu, Hawaii with three crew members aboard when the incident occurred around 5:15 pm local time.

“After being cleared for takeoff, a large plume of fire in the area of the left wing occurred during the takeoff roll,” Inman stated. “The plane lifted off and gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of runway 17R. Shortly after clearing that fence, it made impact with structures and the terrain off of the airport property.”

Airport CCTV footage captured the left engine detaching from the aircraft during takeoff, a critical detail that will be central to investigators’ work. The resulting fire covered nearly half a mile, engulfing nearby buildings including Grade A Auto Parts and Kentucky Petroleum Recycling.

Authorities have successfully recovered both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, commonly known as the “black boxes,” which will provide crucial information for the investigation being jointly conducted by the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

While the official identification of victims has not yet been released by Louisville Police, social media has been flooded with misinformation about who perished in the crash. False reports circulating on platforms like Facebook have wrongly claimed that Tricia Lucus, wife of the late country singer Toby Keith, was among the victims.

Other fabricated stories suggested that James Brolin (husband of Barbra Streisand and father of Josh Brolin) and the brother of Christian music artist Chris Tomlin had died in the crash. These claims have no factual basis, highlighting the dangerous spread of misinformation during tragic events.

The human toll of the disaster was evident in eyewitness accounts. Robert Sanders, a maintenance worker at Grade A Auto Parts, narrowly escaped the crash after returning to his RV just minutes before impact.

“I had just been in my RV like two minutes earlier, and I came down there to building 12. I went inside, and as soon as I went inside, the lights and everything just went out. Everything went black,” Sanders told local news station WLKY.

“All of a sudden, I started hearing this real loud like rumbling, roaring sound, and I stepped outside the bay door there and looked, and the only thing I could see was black smoke, flames, and fireballs,” he continued, visibly shaken by the experience. Sanders described thinking “the world was coming to an end” as the plane crashed into the building.

UPS Airlines CEO Carol B. Tomé addressed the tragedy in a statement on Wednesday, expressing deep sadness over the accident. “We are deeply saddened and our hearts continue to be with all who have been impacted. We will keep them in our hearts as we continue our commitment to safety, care and community.”

Tomé thanked the Louisville UPS team “for their grace and professionalism” during the crisis and acknowledged the global outpouring of support. “We are not alone in this moment and from the notes I’ve received from around the world, I know that solidarity and empathy are powerful forces in healing. United, we are strong.”

As the investigation continues, authorities fear the death toll may rise, with multiple people still unaccounted for. The NTSB is preparing a preliminary report that will provide initial findings about the cause of the crash, which represents one of the most serious aviation incidents involving a cargo carrier in recent years.