A fiery crash at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport claimed twelve lives and injured eleven more, casting a pall over the community and the global shipping giant, UPS. The tragedy unfolded Tuesday evening as Flight 2976, bound for Hawaii, plummeted into a nearby petroleum recycling facility shortly after takeoff.
UPS has identified the three pilots lost in the devastating accident: Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond. The loss is deeply felt within the company, with officials expressing profound sorrow for the crew and the wider Louisville community.
The aircraft, carrying approximately 38,000 gallons of fuel, impacted Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, a facility containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of used motor oil and antifreeze mixtures. The force of the crash breached multiple storage tanks, releasing hazardous materials into nearby waterways.
Initial data from the flight recorders, successfully recovered and analyzed in Washington, D.C., reveals the plane’s last recorded altitude was just 475 feet, traveling at 183 knots. Investigators have confirmed the left engine detached from the aircraft and was discovered on the airfield.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, assisted by the FBI under a long-standing agreement. Preliminary findings suggest the aircraft involved may have been a last-minute replacement for the originally scheduled plane due to maintenance concerns, having recently been stationed in San Antonio, Texas for six weeks.
The impact extended beyond the immediate crash site, with oil contaminating streams that feed into the Salt and Ohio rivers. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) teams are working alongside state and local agencies, and UPS, to contain and clean up the spill, prioritizing the safety of residents and the environment.
The Louisville airport is a critical hub for UPS, housing Worldport, the company’s largest package-handling facility globally. The crash has disrupted operations, but the focus remains on supporting the affected families and ensuring a thorough investigation to determine the cause of this heartbreaking event.
Among the victims was a young child, adding to the immense grief felt by the community. Authorities continue to account for all individuals potentially impacted by the disaster, while investigators meticulously piece together the events leading up to the crash.
