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UPS and FedEx ground MD-11 fleets following fatal Kentucky crash

UPS and FedEx ground MD-11 fleets following fatal Kentucky crash

AFP Sadiq Khan
Nov 08, 2025

Freight carriers UPS and FedEx have grounded their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes following a deadly crash in Kentucky this week.

A UPS-operated MD-11 exploded into flames shortly after departing Louisville airport on Tuesday, killing all three crew members aboard. The crash marked the deadliest in UPS history.

“Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety, we have made the decision to temporarily ground our MD-11 fleet,” UPS said Friday. The grounding, effective immediately, was made proactively on the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer. Around nine percent of UPS’s fleet are MD-11s.

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FedEx announced on Saturday that it has also grounded its 28 MD-11s, part of a total fleet of about 700 aircraft, while conducting a safety review. The company said it is implementing contingency plans to minimize service disruptions.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the death toll at 14, asking the public to “pray for these families, the Louisville community and everyone affected by this terrible event.”

The plane, carrying approximately 38,000 gallons (144,000 liters) of fuel for a long-haul flight to Hawaii, narrowly missed a major Ford vehicle assembly plant employing about 3,000 people. Aerial footage showed a trail of debris as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames.

Horrific

Now 9 dead after the catastrophic plane crash, Louisville, Kentucky.

The aircraft was carrying over 38,000 gallons of Fuel when it exploded mid-takeoff.

A shelter in place remains in effect for those within a 1 mile radius of the crash location due to noxious fumes.… pic.twitter.com/f9zZoNR6Nk
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) November 5, 2025

Investigators have reported that one engine caught fire and detached during takeoff, causing the crash. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder—known as the plane’s black boxes—have been recovered and will be sent to Washington for analysis, according to Todd Inman of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).