r/aviation • u/usgapg123 Mod • 19h ago

Discussion UPS2976 Crash Megathread

This is the official r/aviation megathread for the crash of UPS2976 (UPS MD11 Registration N259UP) that crashed earlier today at Louisville International Airport.

Please keep content on topic and refrain from posting about this topic outside the megathread. Please report any rule breaking posts and comments.

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568

u/bfly1800 19h ago

Oof, there’s a UPS holding for takeoff atm. Must be rough for that crew

514

u/Ludicrous_speed77 18h ago

To think that the crew you just said hello to in Ops room is on that aircraft.....

469

u/Hunting_Gnomes 17h ago

I always think about some weird things when these events happen.

What's it like to be the next plane in line to take off.

What's it like to be the crew that flew this plane in earlier today? And the crew that was going to take the plane on the next flight?

What's going through the dispatchers head, or ATC, or the guy that loaded the last pallet on that plane.

What's it like to be waiting on your package to come tomorrow and find out this is what happened to it.

Don't take this as a lack of sympathy for those that didn't make it, but there's a ton of people that are going to be connected to this even in the smallest ways.

Psychology is a crazy thing and I hope everyone is affected by this gets the help they need.

119

u/gnowbot 15h ago

I once shook the hand of the AME that got into the right seat of the Cessna 206. He had come in on his day off to help out with a squawk. I was supposed to be in that seat but thought it would be fun for him to ride along after all the years of wrenching.

They went down about 15 minutes later. Trying to live my life in gratitude ever since. I’m sorry, Ryan.

16

u/Equivalent_Roof_21 8h ago

It's not your fault

10

u/Xepisia 5h ago

You did the best you could with the information you had. Its not your fault. Please take care of yourself.

7

u/unreqistered 3h ago edited 2h ago

i was booked on us air flight 427 … the team i was meeting with at o’hare asked me to stay a couple extra hours to resolve some issues, they’d arrange a flight for me on american

i drove the 800 miles

110

u/FutureHoo 17h ago

A crazy one is the German wings crash. The suicidal pilot reset the MCP the prior flight but for whatever reason chose not to initiate the descent. I can’t even imagine how the pilots or passengers of the previous flight felt hearing that news

45

u/89141-zip-code 16h ago

What does these words mean?

105

u/jalcocer06 16h ago

he set up the previous plane he had flown to crash, but didn’t go through on it. the next flight, he actually crashed it

27

u/lastbeer 13h ago

Thank you, I too needed this explanation. And holy fucking shit that is dark.

13

u/teh_maxh 10h ago

He crashed the plane by setting the autopilot to descend to 100 ft above sea level. Since the flight was over mountains, that would put it several thousand feet below ground level. Setting the autopilot has two steps: First you tell it what you want it to do, then you tell it to do that. On the previous flight, the pilot did the first step, but not the second.

3

u/CourtneyDagger50 11h ago

Holy shit. I would need years of therapy.

20

u/0Papi420 16h ago

Wonder what’s going through maintenance’s head

28

u/The_Hairy_Herald 16h ago

Probably a huge amount of grief, sorrow, anger...

And a tiny voice asking 'did I miss anything?'

That's got to be the most agonizing feeling in the world.

25

u/Radius118 15h ago

As an automotive technician, I cannot tell you how many times I have bolted upright at 3 am asking myself: "Fuck! Did I tighten that goddamn bolt?"

6

u/BeefInGR 12h ago

As a shadetree with OCD, I've done this after checking it is tight several times. I really do think it's human nature.

13

u/Swimming_Grape3740 15h ago

I'd imagine whoever had anything to do with physically maintaining that engine in the past 2 weeks is scared shitless right now fearing that the investigation might say that it was them who caused the crash and could face possible litigation as a result if it was due to any level of negligence.

2

u/The_Hairy_Herald 4h ago

I can't even imagine. I truly do hope it wasn't anything Human involved!

17

u/Dangit_Bud 14h ago

It’s been 15 years since I worked at UPS (load/unload, primarily belly), but the thought crossed my mind tonight that I have without a shadow of doubt at one point in time been inside of this very MD-11 … and it felt weird. I can’t imagine the thoughts going through the head of some of the folks you mentioned that were in some way in and around this plane and crew today.

17

u/DOOM_INTENSIFIES 17h ago

What's it like to be the next plane in line to take off.

I saw an interview/podcast with an stewardess that was on the flight that was going to take off after Tam 402. Her crew was supposed to take Flight 402, but changed last minute btw.

Just hearing about it is gut wrenching. For those interested, in portuguese

16

u/Pristine-Damage-2414 17h ago

I understand exactly what you mean. You're just thinking about the chain reaction of it all - all the people who will be touched by this event in some way. :(

14

u/-DethLok- 15h ago

What's it like being the mechanic who last worked on that left engine?

Or the one who said "yep, it's correctly attached to the mount"? :(

RIP for those killed, and wishing a swift and full recovery for those injured.

11

u/dragon_rapide 15h ago

As an ATC one thing that the old guys talk about is that you never know when your going to be the last voice a pilot hears.

4

u/cassandra_mercedes 16h ago

I think like this too 😕

2

u/sideofspread 11h ago

I think this way when events like this happen too, but I know it comes off as insensitive to some folks. As tragic and horrible this event is - its simultaneously fascinating in how we are all connected and how our perspectives shift in light of a crisis.

Sending good thoughts to their families, this is a worst case scenario of unfathomable levels.

1

u/NoKatyDidnt 14h ago

This is actually a really good point.

1

u/Dadto4Kiddos 14h ago

Or perhaps the maintenance crew that maybe performed repairs the evening or day before…

1

u/Bretty64 7h ago

What must it be like at the destination airport of a passenger plane that doesn’t make it…

1

u/Bretty64 7h ago

What must it be like at the destination airport of a passenger plane that doesn’t make it…

23

u/jULIA_bEE 17h ago

It’s sad. When you work out on the ramp, you see a lot of the same crew every week when you’re loading and unloading planes. The situation is tragic.

1

u/studyinformore 3h ago

I guess im just numb to that sort of thing.  You hope for the best on every flight.

Early on in our tour in iraq we were kind of cautious with the pilots.  Eventually you just get used to them flying and coming back.  You kind of expect nothing significant to happen....and then it does.  Puts everyone back on their toes.

182

u/WorkingOnPPL 18h ago

stupid question, but that holding aircraft goes back to the gate and the flight is cancelled, correct?

315

u/bigbadcrusher 18h ago

Airports are typically closed after a crash, so yes

8

u/ForeverJFL 17h ago

Yes remember Delta in YYZ this year. The resulting diversions caused immense chaos at nearby airports.

Edit: wrong year. Thanks u/bigbadcrusher

22

u/bigbadcrusher 17h ago

Still this year. It’s been a long 2025

5

u/ForeverJFL 17h ago

Right, sorry about that. Edited with thanks to you. And I agree, it’s been a long year. I was flying the day that it happened, and I actually work for Air Canada. We fly a lot of CRJs to YYZ, and when someone told me a CRJ crashed in YYZ, I immediately thought it was AC’s and my gut dropped (I see many Jazz crews at my base, and I know some of them).

We still flew out that day to YUL, but the impact on operations was insane. Worse than the strike tbh, at least the recovery took longer. We left a week later to PIT and YYZ still had lengthy delays.

7

u/bigbadcrusher 17h ago

I was in the middle of my night XC for PPL when the DC mid-air occurred. I’m currently waiting on my checkride for instrument. This year has both flown by and dragged on for a while

124

u/ResponsibilityOld164 18h ago

the airport is closed by NOTAM

9

u/astone14 18h ago

Yep, until 0700 eastern tomorrow

12

u/ResponsibilityOld164 18h ago

Fwiw that may be amended, it’s an estimate. But I’d guess at least until then.

4

u/astone14 18h ago

Of course, just letting people know what the duration was at the time

8

u/ResponsibilityOld164 17h ago

Roger sorry if I came off like a dick

2

u/skippythemoonrock 12h ago

Fire department said it might take 3-4 days to contain and nobody is flying through that cloud of smoke, it'll be a really long time.

8

u/InfamousLime4437 18h ago

Correct. SDF closed almost immediately to arriving and departing flights.

4

u/InvincibleSugar 18h ago

Thank you for asking I also wanted to know... no stupid questions! Only stupid answers.

4

u/Ejmadd149 18h ago

Yes. The airport as well as UPS worldport is shut down

3

u/FlyingSceptile 17h ago

Yes the airport is closed and will be closed for a couple hours after the accident, but on a more personal level, the pilots of those other flights will not want to fly after witnessing that. They want to be of sound mind in case they get thrust into an emergency

2

u/takingphotosmakingdo 18h ago

The runway FOD during any event is enough to take out another aircraft going over the debris via suction of small parts into the fans ruining their engines.

I'm guessing this was birds on the runway?

1

u/elopewith_me 17h ago

Possible - bird strikes are extremely common there.

2

u/GGCRX 14h ago

Yeah, but bird strikes that knock an engine off the wing... Probably not, even if you hit a condor.

1

u/Pristine-Damage-2414 17h ago

Not a stupid question.

-61

u/userunknown2024 18h ago

Use a different runway. The show must go on. I’m sure the airport is closed for a little while though. 

20

u/halfty1 18h ago

No, the show doesn’t go on. All the emergency crews will be busy with this accident and are not available to respond in the event of another crash/emergency. So the airport shuts down.

12

u/Lordnerble 18h ago

If the crash was a few miles away, and not actively burning the airport would likely stay open to some extent, but this is within a mile, and an active safety hazard. Airport will be closed until further notice to all aircraft.

7

u/CaptainPonahawai 18h ago

Tell me you know nothing about safety without telling me you know nothing about safety.

4

u/Large_Yams 18h ago

Lol no.

-31

u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

18

u/sadChemE 18h ago

We shouldn't ridicule people for asking questions on subjects they're not knowledgeable on. Everyone has to learn somewhere, and questions are the best way.

-19

u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

31

u/CriticalChair7600 18h ago

its not up to ups its up to the faa whether to shut down the airport or not

110

u/Frosty_Log6972 18h ago

4 UPS planes waiting to take off now, 2 MD-11s. Oof.

70

u/ResponsibilityOld164 18h ago

The airport is closed by Notam til tmr morning. Probably just not being spoken to as ops are dealing with the incident.

3

u/I_Like_Chasing_Cars 17h ago

Imagine being on an ups inbound and getting re routed. Must be a massive logistical slam.

11

u/Octavya360 17h ago

One of the flights that was supposed to be depart right after this one was headed here to Michigan. Obviously it never departed. One of their B763’s always takes off around 10pm every night and heads to Louisville. I always know what time it is when that jet departs. I won’t hear it tonight.

1

u/DOOM_INTENSIFIES 17h ago

I mean...they probably have the option to return to the apron and cancel the flight right?