What Caused UPS Plane Crash, Louisville, KY? How MD-11 Engine Fell Off

A UPS MD-11 cargo jet erupts in flames after a catastrophic engine separation during takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. In this in-depth analysis, Jeff Ostroff breaks down exactly how an engine can fall off an aircraft, what may have gone wrong with this jet’s pylon mounts, and why NTSB investigators are now looking closely at maintenance records, structural fatigue, and design legacy from the DC-10 era.

You’ll see aerial footage, 3D diagrams, and a clear explanation of the takeoff sequence — including what V1, Vr, and V2 really mean for a heavy aircraft like this. Then we compare this tragedy to the historic American Airlines Flight 191 disaster in 1979 to show what’s changed — and what hasn’t — in nearly five decades of aviation engineering.

00:00 Dashcam video of UPS Plane Crash, Louisville, KY MD11F
02:38 NTSB Preliminary Update: Airport Cam shows the left engine fell off
04:47 What NTSB found on the Louisville Airport runway: MD11 Engine parts
05:27 Analyzing flight path from runway to warehouses
06:37 What takeoff should look like from Runway 17R
06:59 Aerial video of UPS plane crash debris field and fires
07:57 UPS Plane crash similar to AA Flight 191, Chicago, 1979
09:15 Details of UPS Flight 2976 Tail Number N259UP
11:12 Possible Causes of MD11 Engine Separation
11:55 Detailed explanation of each possible plane crash root cause
13:20 Security Cam videos of UPS MD11 plane crash
14:47 NTSB preliminary and final report timeline