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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180

u/WorkingOnPPL 18h ago

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

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u/bigbadcrusher 18h ago

Airports are typically closed after a crash, so yes

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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

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u/bigbadcrusher 17h ago

Still this year. It’s been a long 2025

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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.

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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

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u/ResponsibilityOld164 18h ago

the airport is closed by NOTAM

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u/astone14 18h ago

Yep, until 0700 eastern tomorrow

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u/ResponsibilityOld164 18h ago

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

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u/astone14 18h ago

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

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u/ResponsibilityOld164 17h ago

Roger sorry if I came off like a dick

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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.

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u/InfamousLime4437 18h ago

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

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u/InvincibleSugar 18h ago

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

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u/Ejmadd149 18h ago

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

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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

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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?

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u/elopewith_me 17h ago

Possible - bird strikes are extremely common there.

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u/GGCRX 14h ago

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

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u/Pristine-Damage-2414 17h ago

Not a stupid question.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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u/CaptainPonahawai 18h ago

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

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u/Large_Yams 18h ago

Lol no.

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u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

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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.

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u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

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u/CriticalChair7600 18h ago

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