UPS FedEx Ground MD-11 Fleets After Louisville Crash

American delivery firms UPS and FedEx have temporarily grounded parts of their cargo plane fleets following a plane crash in Kentucky.

sarah

Nov 8, 2025 - 14:30

UPS FedEx Ground MD-11 Fleets After Louisville Crash

The UPS aircraft veered off the runway and crashed into a nearby business building, igniting a fire that engulfed several buildings and closed Louisville International Airport.

UPS said the decision to ground the MD-11 model was made following instructions from manufacturer Boeing, while rival delivery company FedEx also confirmed it was doing the same.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the deadly crash.

Hours before the fleet was grounded, officials confirmed the death toll had risen to 14 after another body was recovered, and that more victims were still being sought in the buildings engulfed by the fire.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said, "We pray for all the families of the victims and pray that there are no more victims."

In a statement, UPS said the decision to ground 9% of its fleet was taken as a "precautionary measure."

It is unclear how much of an impact the move by UPS and FedEx will have on delivery services.

UPS said contingency plans have been put in place to maintain service. The statement added: "Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve."

The aircraft involved in the crash was an MD-11F triple-engine plane, which first entered service 34 years ago as a passenger jet with Thai Airways, but was transferred to UPS in 2006.

MD-11s were originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas before the company merged with Boeing in 1997.

According to the National Transportation and Safety Board, the left engine caught fire during takeoff and separated from the wing. The plane had 38,000 gallons (144,000 liters) of fuel on board when it was attempting a long-haul flight to Hawaii, which exacerbated the fire that broke out after the crash.