History of UPS Airlines Flight 2976 in Timeline

UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a domestic cargo flight from Louisville to Honolulu, crashed on November 4, 2025, shortly after takeoff. During its takeoff roll, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 experienced an engine separation, leading to a crash into an industrial area near the airport at approximately 5:13 p.m. local time. The accident resulted in the deaths of all three crew members on board and twelve people on the ground, one of whom died later from injuries sustained in the crash.

1979: American Airlines Flight 191 Crash

In 1979, American Airlines Flight 191, involving a DC-10 with similar engine mounts, crashed under similar circumstances, as noted in the NTSB's preliminary report on the Flight 2976 accident.

1988: UPS Airlines Founded

In 1988, UPS Airlines was founded, becoming the United States' second-largest cargo airline, only suffering two fatal accidents before Flight 2976.

1991: Aircraft Delivered to Thai Airways International

In 1991, the aircraft involved in Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, was first delivered to Thai Airways International with the registration HS-TME.

1998: Swissair Flight 111 Crash

In 1998, the crash of Swissair Flight 111 occurred, marking the deadliest crash involving an MD-11, with the UPS Airlines Flight 2976 crash being the second-deadliest.

2006: Aircraft Delivered to UPS Airlines

In 2006, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F aircraft was converted to a cargo aircraft and delivered to UPS Airlines.

2010: UPS Airlines Flight 6 Crash

In 2010, UPS Airlines Flight 6 crashed, resulting in two fatalities.

2013: UPS Airlines Flight 1354 Crash

In 2013, UPS Airlines Flight 1354 crashed, resulting in two fatalities.

October 2021: Last Visual Inspections of Left Pylon Aft Mount

In October 2021, the last visual inspections of the left pylon aft mount of the aircraft were performed.

November 4, 2025: UPS Airlines Flight 2976 Crashes After Engine Separation

On November 4, 2025, UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky, following the separation of its left engine. The crash resulted in the deaths of all three crew members and twelve people on the ground.

December 3, 2025: Lawsuits Filed Against UPS, Boeing, General Electric, and VT San Antonio Aerospace

On December 3, 2025, Clifford Law Offices and Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers announced lawsuits against UPS, Boeing, General Electric, and VT San Antonio Aerospace, alleging negligence by UPS.

2025: Disruption of Cargo Operations Due to Grounding of MD-11 Fleet

In 2025, the temporary grounding of the MD-11 fleet disrupted overnight cargo operations at several major U.S. airports, causing delays in supply chains. The incident occurred during the 2025 federal government shutdown, complicating logistics.

January 14, 2026: NTSB Update on Flight 2976

On January 14, 2026, the NTSB released an update stating that all engine data recorded by the FDR was normal until 17:13:11 and fatigue cracks were found in engine no. 1's spherical bearing assembly.

January 2026: UPS Retires MD-11 Fleet

In January 2026, following the crash of Flight 2976, UPS retired its remaining McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleet.

January 23, 2026: Additional Lawsuits Filed Against Defendants

On January 23, 2026, the Clifford Law Firm and attorney Sam Aguiar announced another lawsuit against the same defendants on behalf of the family of Alain Rodriguez Colina, who died from injuries sustained in the crash. Also, Texas law firms filed a lawsuit on behalf of Carlos Arias Fernandez against ST Engineering.

February 25, 2026: Lawsuit Filed by Wife of Captain Dana Diamond

On February 25, 2026, the wife of Captain Dana Diamond, who died in the UPS air crash, filed a lawsuit against The Boeing Company, General Electric, and ST San Antonio Aerospace.

May 7, 2026: Fifteen Lawsuits Filed on Behalf of Crash Victims

On May 7, 2026, Peterson Law and Whiteford Taylor & Preston filed fifteen lawsuits in Jefferson County Circuit Court on behalf of over 100 individuals and multiple businesses affected by the crash, naming UPS, Boeing Company, General Electric, VT San Antonio Aerospace, multiple insurance companies, and the estate of copilot Richard R. Wartenberg as defendants.

May 19, 2026: NTSB Posts Docket About the Crash

On May 19, 2026, the NTSB posted the docket about the crash on the NTSB website, including audio spectrogram imagery of the cockpit voice recorder.

May 21, 2026: NTSB Temporarily Pulls Docket System Offline

On May 21, 2026, the NTSB temporarily pulled the docket system offline due to concerns that cockpit voice recorder audio could be reconstructed from sound spectrum imagery, which is against federal law. The NTSB is evaluating solutions to restore access.