Deadly UPS Cargo Plane Crash Leaves Trail of Destruction and Questions About Safety Protocols
Dozens of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are descending upon Kentucky as they seek to unravel the mystery behind a devastating cargo plane crash that claimed at least nine lives and injured another 11. The accident occurred shortly after takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, where the plane was bound for Honolulu.
Eyewitnesses described a fiery scene on the ground and in the air, with flames engulfing the plane's left wing before it lifted off the ground and crashed into a huge fireball. The impact sent debris flying, with nearby residents reporting loud booms and witnessing flames in the sky and on the ground.
The investigation is focusing on how a seemingly routine flight could have ended so catastrophically. Officials have confirmed that there were no hazardous materials on board, but experts say that the amount of fuel on the plane would make a large explosion almost inevitable.
Aviation attorney Pablo Rojas believes that the engine had detached from the plane before its final impact, spewing out parts and causing catastrophic damage. "The plane itself is almost acting like a bomb because of the amount of fuel," he said.
The videos taken by onlookers show clear evidence of the engine's detachment and the subsequent explosion. Mary Schiavo, a former Department of Transportation inspector general, added that the centrifugal force from the spinning blades could have caused significant damage to the plane.
As investigators work to piece together what happened, questions are being raised about safety protocols at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The airport has canceled or delayed many flights and issued a shelter-in-place order surrounding the crash site, which has now been reduced to a quarter-mile radius.
Local leaders are urging residents not to move any debris from their properties, instead reporting it to help investigators piece together what went wrong. Hundreds of firefighters have been on the scene, battling fires that erupted after the crash.
The death toll is expected to rise as UofL Health hospital system treats 10 patients in relation to the crash, with two in critical condition at the burn center. The governor has expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragedy and pledged support for the investigation.
Dozens of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are descending upon Kentucky as they seek to unravel the mystery behind a devastating cargo plane crash that claimed at least nine lives and injured another 11. The accident occurred shortly after takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, where the plane was bound for Honolulu.
Eyewitnesses described a fiery scene on the ground and in the air, with flames engulfing the plane's left wing before it lifted off the ground and crashed into a huge fireball. The impact sent debris flying, with nearby residents reporting loud booms and witnessing flames in the sky and on the ground.
The investigation is focusing on how a seemingly routine flight could have ended so catastrophically. Officials have confirmed that there were no hazardous materials on board, but experts say that the amount of fuel on the plane would make a large explosion almost inevitable.
Aviation attorney Pablo Rojas believes that the engine had detached from the plane before its final impact, spewing out parts and causing catastrophic damage. "The plane itself is almost acting like a bomb because of the amount of fuel," he said.
The videos taken by onlookers show clear evidence of the engine's detachment and the subsequent explosion. Mary Schiavo, a former Department of Transportation inspector general, added that the centrifugal force from the spinning blades could have caused significant damage to the plane.
As investigators work to piece together what happened, questions are being raised about safety protocols at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The airport has canceled or delayed many flights and issued a shelter-in-place order surrounding the crash site, which has now been reduced to a quarter-mile radius.
Local leaders are urging residents not to move any debris from their properties, instead reporting it to help investigators piece together what went wrong. Hundreds of firefighters have been on the scene, battling fires that erupted after the crash.
The death toll is expected to rise as UofL Health hospital system treats 10 patients in relation to the crash, with two in critical condition at the burn center. The governor has expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragedy and pledged support for the investigation.