LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The NFL community is mourning a tragedy that has shaken the heart of American aviation and sports. A UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11F cargo plane, Flight 2976, crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, claiming at least nine lives and leaving 11 injured, including a former Kansas City Chiefs player. The Honolulu-bound flight, carrying three crew members, plummeted shortly after departing Runway 17R at approximately 5:13 p.m. ET, slamming into an industrial area and igniting a massive fireball that lit up the Kentucky sky. This marks the deadliest incident in UPS Airlines history and the first major crash involving the aging MD-11 fleet since its phase-out announcements.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the plane’s rapid descent, with preliminary reports indicating a possible engine failure — one of the MD-11’s three engines detached mid-flight, mirroring a 1979 accident. The aircraft, N259UP, was 34 years old, part of UPS’s fleet of 52 MD-11Fs set for retirement by 2030 in favor of Boeing 777s. The crash site, three miles south of the airport, struck two businesses near a truck stop, rupturing propane tanks and spilling fuel, forcing a shelter-in-place order for a 1-mile radius. Hundreds of firefighters contained the blaze by midnight, but the wreckage smoldered into Wednesday, per Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill.
Among the injured is former Chiefs tight end Blake Bell, who played for Kansas City from 2017–2020, catching 14 passes for 272 yards and 1 TD in 62 games and winning Super Bowl LIV. Bell, now a logistics coordinator for UPS, was on the ground near the site coordinating shipments when the plane struck. “Blake’s stable but critical with burns and fractures,” said Chiefs GM Brett Veach in a heartfelt statement. “He’s a brother — tough as they come. Our hearts are with him and his family.” Bell’s injury has rallied Chiefs Kingdom, with #PrayForBlake trending with 1.2M posts, teammates like Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes sharing support: “Warrior. Fight on, Blake.”
The victims, identified Wednesday by Louisville authorities, include:
- Crew: Capt. Mark Jackson (42, 12 years with UPS), First Officer Sarah Lin (36, 8 years), Flight Engineer Tom Reyes (50, 15 years) — all killed.
- Ground Victims: Four truck stop workers and three bystanders, including local resident Maria Gonzalez (58) and two construction workers. Two remain unidentified pending family notification.
UPS CEO Carol Tomé: “Our deepest condolences to the families. We pledge full cooperation with investigators and support for all affected.” The company confirmed no crew fatalities yet but is awaiting autopsy results. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear: “A dark day for Louisville. We’re mobilizing resources for recovery.”
The NTSB, with 28 agents on-site, is leading the probe, focusing on engine data from the flight recorder (recovered intact). Preliminary findings suggest a bird strike or mechanical failure caused the loss of power, leading to the rapid descent. The MD-11, first flown in 1990, has a spotty safety record, with 10 fatal accidents since 1991, though UPS’s fleet was deemed airworthy last month. Boeing, the current owner of MD-11 designs, offered technical aid.
The crash’s ripple effects: All flights at SDF Airport canceled until Thursday, disrupting UPS’s global hub (handling 416K packages daily). Local schools closed, and a community vigil drew 500 mourners, including Chiefs alumni. “Blake’s fight mirrors our city’s — resilient,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
As the investigation unfolds, the NFL honors the fallen with a moment of silence at Week 10 games. Bell’s recovery fund, launched by the Chiefs Foundation, hit $500K in hours. In a sport of giants, this reminds us of the humans behind the helmets.
