UPS retires fleet of MD-11 aircraft involved in deadly Kentucky crash

Source: NBC News/AP

Jan. 27, 2026, 6:45 PM EST


LOUISVILLE, Ky. — UPS announced Tuesday that it has retired its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes just months after one crashed during takeoff, causing 15 deaths in Louisville.

CEO Carol Tome said during a fourth-quarter earnings call that UPS decided to "accelerate our plans and retire all MD-11 aircraft in our fleet."

The Nov. 4 Louisville crash killed the plane's three-person crew and 12 others on the ground just outside the Muhammad Ali International Airport. The plane's left engine had fallen off the wing, and the plane was able to climb only about 30 feet before crashing.

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all MD-11s after the crash. An agency statement Tuesday said the FAA continues to review "all the facts and circumstances" in deciding whether MD-11s would be allowed to fly again.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ups-retires-fleet-md-11-aircraft-involved-deadly-kentucky-crash-rcna256076