‎Investigators Analyze UPS MD-11 Crash in Louisville: Black Boxes and Engine Footage Key to Understanding Deadly Incident

‎Federal investigators are examining crucial flight data and cockpit voice recorders recovered from the wreckage of the UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo jet that crashed Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. The deadly incident left at least nine people dead, with officials warning that the death toll could rise.

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‎Firefighters are seen in aerial footage battling a massive blaze after a plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, Nov. 4, 2025.

‎WLKY-TV

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‎Video footage captured during the crash appears to show flames erupting from the left wing, where one of the plane’s engines was located, as the aircraft accelerated down the runway. The MD-11, carrying three crew members, then appeared to struggle for lift-off as additional flames shot from the tail engine.

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‎Aerial images and ground footage revealed that the plane’s left engine had separated and landed just off the runway. Investigators believe that debris from the detached engine might have been drawn into the tail engine, possibly contributing to the catastrophic failure.

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‎The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other federal authorities have made recovery and analysis of the left engine and flight recorders a top priority. These components are critical to determining what mechanical or structural failures may have occurred moments before the crash.

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‎The MD-11 aircraft, originally designed to operate safely even with one failed engine, faces severe limitations if two engines are lost during takeoff. A loss of thrust at nearly 200 mph and insufficient runway length to abort takeoff can lead to an unrecoverable situation. Additionally, the loss of an engine during flight significantly alters the aircraft’s weight distribution and aerodynamic balance, increasing instability.

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‎The UPS cargo jet was reportedly loaded with up to 20,000 packages and approximately 255,000 pounds of jet fuel for its scheduled flight to Honolulu. The intensity of the post-crash fire was fueled not only by jet fuel but also by industrial materials near the crash site, which may have burned at extremely high temperatures.

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‎A map shows the path taken by a UPS plane before it crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, Nov. 4, 2025.

‎CBS News

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‎Investigators confirmed that the aircraft’s black boxes were located in the tail section, an area typically designed to offer the best chance of survival for the devices during a crash. These recorders, encased in reinforced titanium or stainless steel and insulated to withstand heat up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, have been transported to the NTSB laboratory in Washington, D.C., for analysis.

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‎Even with extensive fire damage, the NTSB has a strong history of retrieving usable data from compromised recorders. If the flight data recorder remains intact, it will reveal critical information about the plane’s performance in the final seconds before impact. The cockpit voice recorder is expected to provide insights into the crew’s final communications and any audible cues of malfunction or distress.