UPS names 3 pilots killed in Louisville cargo plane crash that left at least 12 people dead

UPS connected Thursday identified the formation unit killed successful a fiery level clang Tuesday astatine Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) successful Kentucky, which claimed the lives of 12 radical and near astir a twelve others injured.

The 3 deceased UPS pilots connected committee Flight 2976 were identified arsenic Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 1st Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Capt. Dana Diamond, according to UPS Airlines enforcement vice president Nando Cesarone.

"Words can’t explicit the sorrow we consciousness implicit the heartbreaking Flight 2976 accident," Cesarone wrote successful a connection connected X. "Our hearts spell retired to each UPSer who has been impacted and each successful our Louisville community— supporting you and ensuring you person the attraction and resources you request is our priority."

The UPS cargo plane, which was loaded with astir 38,000 gallons of substance and bound for Hawaii, crashed into the adjacent Kentucky Petroleum Recycling gathering aft departing from SDF astatine astir 5:15 p.m. ET Tuesday, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.

The NTSB's J. Todd Inman listens to a reporter's question astatine the Louisville Regional Airport Authority successful Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport during a quality conference, Wednesday, successful Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

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At the clip of the disaster, the lipid recycling institution had 29 above-ground retention tanks, containing astir 226,000 gallons of utilized centrifugal lipid and 37,000 gallons of oil-water-antifreeze mix, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

EPA on-scene coordinators confirmed respective of the large, above-ground retention tanks astatine Kentucky Petroleum Recycling broke unfastened and fell over. The installation remains closed portion the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates.

Preliminary formation information indicates the aircraft's past recorded elevation was 475 feet, and it was traveling astatine 183 knots astatine the clip of the crash, according to NTSB officials. The EPA confirmed determination was nary hazardous worldly cargo onboard the aircraft.

UPS jets are parked astatine the Worldport bundle sorting analyzable astatine Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Thursday, successful Louisville, Ky.  (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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At slightest 12 radical are dead, including the 3 unit members onboard and a young child, and 11 others connected the crushed were injured, Beshear said. Others are inactive unaccounted for.

"This continues to beryllium an incredibly bittersweet clip for our full UPS family, and arsenic our CEO, Carol Tomé reminded us: ‘United, we are strong,’" Cesarone wrote. "We widen our deepest sympathies to the household and friends of our colleagues, and to the loved ones of those successful the Louisville community."

Though the origin of the clang has not yet been released, NTSB officials said Wednesday the near motor detached from the level and was recovered connected the airfield.

On Thursday, the NTSB confirmed information was successfully recovered from the aircraft's cockpit dependable recorder and formation information recorder, commonly known arsenic the "black box," astatine a Washington, D.C. lab.

NTSB officials connected Thursday said the level was successful San Antonio, Texas, for six weeks anterior to the crash, and that it whitethorn person been utilized arsenic a replacement soon earlier take-off owed to attraction issues with the primitively scheduled aircraft.

The ATC operation is seen portion fume rises from the clang tract of UPS Flight 2976 adjacent Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport connected Wednesday, successful Louisville, Ky.  (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

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The EPA is moving intimately with authorities and section agencies, on with UPS, to cleanable up lipid released into adjacent streams that travel into the Salt and Ohio rivers.

EPA officials said the bureau volition stay connected tract to guarantee cleanable air, onshore and h2o for adjacent residents.

The NTSB confirmed the FBI is assisting with the probe "under a longstanding Interagency agreement."

The Louisville airdrome is location to UPS Worldport, a planetary hub for the shipping company's aerial cargo operations and its largest package-handling installation worldwide.