Death toll in UPS plane crash increases to 14; several others remain missing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - Local officials announced on Thursday that the number of fatalities from the UPS plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, increased.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced that another person died while at the hospital, increasing the death toll to 14.

Greenberg also said that several others are still unaccounted for.

“I had previously reported that there were 15 individuals that had been reported as missing,” Greenberg said. “We have located six of those individuals over the last 24 hours. If you do the math, we may have located all the victims. There may be more that have not yet been reported. Our hope is that we have located all of the victims at this point, but again, we do not know. The search will continue.”

Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond were identified by UPS on Thursday as the crew members onboard the aircraft when it went down.

The NTSB said on Wednesday that an engine detached from the UPS jet involved in the deadly Nov. 4 crash.

During a media update on Thursday, the NTSB confirmed that Flight 2976 was traveling at a speed of 210 miles per hour and at an altitude of 475 feet at the time of the last reading retrieved.

NTSB Spokesperson Todd Inman also said the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been recovered.

Both of the so-called “black boxes” were impacted by heat, according to Inman, but did not sustain intrusion from the crash or the resulting fire.

The aircraft involved in the accident was an MD-11F, with registration number N259UP. It was manufactured in 1991.

According to Inman, the plane was cleared for takeoff on Runway 17-R (Right). After receiving clearance, the jet began its takeoff roll when a large plume of fire was seen coming from the left wing.

Inman said he has seen airport surveillance video showing the left engine detaching from the plane. That engine was found on the airport grounds.

The aircraft lifted from the runway and cleared a fence at the end before striking structures outside of the airport property.

The impact of the aircraft left a debris field approximately a half-mile in length.

FBI agents were also requested to the scene to assist the NTSB with the investigation.

UPS Worldport has reopened and the company’s planes are flying in as scheduled.

FlyLouisville announced that all three runways at SDF had reopened as of Thursday afternoon and were fully operational.