The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed Wednesday that the left engine of UPS Flight 2976 detached during takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky, triggering a fiery crash that has now claimed 12 lives, Fox News reported.
The cargo plane, carrying three crewmembers and over 200,000 pounds of fuel, crashed into the Kentucky Petroleum Recycling building shortly after departing at approximately 5:15 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Governor Andy Beshear said the fatalities include all three crew members and a young child, with 11 others injured on the ground.
Photos and wreckage analysis confirmed the engine was found on the airfield. Preliminary findings show the flight was not delayed and no immediate maintenance was performed prior to takeoff. Officials noted there are no known airworthiness directives tied to the aircraft or its engines.
The aircraft had been in service for nearly 35 years, according to FAA records cited by Reuters.
The NTSB recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder - commonly known as the “black box” - which suffered heat exposure but appeared intact. Both will be analyzed at the agency’s lab in Washington, D.C.
The FBI is assisting under a longstanding interagency agreement, according to Fox News. It remains unclear whether criminal intent is suspected or what cargo the plane was carrying. NTSB officials noted that shipments through the Louisville UPS hub often include “life-saving drugs, postal products, food, supplements - you name it.”
Despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, officials stressed the investigation will proceed without disruption.
Louisville’s airport is home to UPS Worldport, the company’s largest global air cargo hub and package-handling facility. UPS is the city’s largest employer, with 26,000 jobs, according to Louisville Business First.