Federal officials release video of engine separating from plane before Louisville crash

Christopher Leach, Lexington Herald-Leader on May 19, 2026

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The National Transportation Safety Board has released surveillance footage that shows the engine popping off a UPS airplane before it crashed after takeoff near Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville.

The crash happened Nov. 4, 2025, and killed 15 people, including the three crew members and 12 people on the ground. Todd Inman, an NTSB member, previously said the left engine and pylon of the plane detached during takeoff, causing the aircraft to plummet and crash into multiple businesses near the airport.

On Tuesday, the NTSB released an animated video that explains the mechanical failures that led to the engine detachment. NTSB investigators have not officially determined the cause of the crash, but previously shared findings of broken parts with fatigue cracks and signs of overstress.

The left engine of the MD-11F aircraft attaches to the wing on a pylon at three attachment points. One of the attachment points, the pylon aft mount, is bolted to a wing clevis through a spherical bearing. One part of the spherical bearing pieces had signs of fatigue cracking after it was recovered by NTSB investigators. The NTSB said the cracks grew outward overtime and eventually completely separated.

The separated spherical bearing caused uneven load distribution, which resulted in overstress on the pylon aft mount lugs that attached to the wing clevis. The lugs cracked during takeoff, causing the pylon aft mount to detach from the plane, the NTSB said.

The NTSB said the remaining two wing attachment points subsequently failed after the pylon aft mount detached, which caused the pylon and engine to separate from the wing.

The lugs were not inspected prior to the crash, the NTSB previously said. UPS’ maintenance program requires the lugs to undergo a special, detailed inspection at 29,200 cycles, and the plane was at 21,043 cycles at the time of the crash.

Several lawsuits have been filed in the months since the crash, including 15 recent lawsuits filed by businesses, victims and residents impacted by the crash. Other lawsuits include a wrongful death suit, a federal class action suit for businesses affected by the crash and suit filed by the wife of one of the pilots aboard the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft until they undergo inspections and any necessary repairs. UPS has since announced it has retired its MD-11 fleet, which makes up about 9% of the company’s fleet.

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