A preliminary U.S. investigation has attributed a deadly UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky, which killed 14 people, to a catastrophic failure of a left engine mount that caused the engine to detach and explode.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released initial findings on November 20, 2025, revealing significant cracks in the left engine’s structural attachment point to the wing. This critical structural flaw led to the engine detaching from the MD-11 aircraft.
Visual evidence from the crash sequence showed the engine separating and flying above the wing, followed by rapid flames engulfing the left wing. The aircraft attempted to gain altitude, ascending just 30 feet (9.1 meters) before plummeting to the ground.
The November 4 crash near Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville claimed the lives of all three pilots onboard. Additionally, 11 individuals on the ground in the vicinity of the crash site were killed.
Investigators noted that the cargo plane was not scheduled for its next major deep inspection for nearly 7,000 more takeoffs and landings. Its last recorded inspection occurred in October 2021.