Local News
Investigators Recover Black Boxes from UPS Flight 2976 Crash in Louisville
Federal investigators have recovered both flight recorders from UPS Flight 2976, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on November 4, 2025.
According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman, the devices — the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder — were located amid the wreckage and appear to have withstood extreme heat damage.
“We have identified the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. As you can imagine, they suffered some heat — not intrusion, but heat around them. These recorders are built for that,” Inman said during a news briefing. “Once they arrive at our lab in Washington, D.C., we expect to retrieve a good amount of usable data, which will provide critical insight into what transpired in the moments leading up to the crash.”
Inman noted that video evidence has been instrumental in shaping the investigation’s direction.
One widely circulated video shows the plane’s left engine detaching from the wing during takeoff, moments before the aircraft lost altitude and exploded upon impact in an industrial area near Grade Lane and Fern Valley Road.
“This and other videos, combined with physical evidence from the scene, are proving to be invaluable,” Inman added. “They help our team focus on the most relevant aspects of the investigation as we move forward.”
Authorities have confirmed nine fatalities and sixteen people still unaccounted for, with search and recovery efforts continuing.
Officials warn that the death toll may rise as crews work through debris and fire-damaged structures.
A Reunification Center has been established at 2911 Taylor Boulevard for families awaiting news, while the shelter-in-place order has been reduced to a quarter-mile radius surrounding the crash site.
Airport officials report that one runway has reopened, though Runway 17R/35L will remain closed until November 15, causing ongoing flight delays.
Meanwhile, Louisville Metro Police have issued warnings about scammers targeting families of victims, falsely claiming to have information about missing loved ones in exchange for money.
Authorities urge residents to report such incidents immediately to LMPD at (502) 574-LMPD (5673) and stress that no legitimate agency will ever demand payment for information.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expressed condolences to those affected, stating,
“Please pray for the pilots, crew, and everyone impacted by this terrible tragedy. We will share updates as more information becomes available.”
The NTSB continues to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash, which occurred shortly after Flight 2976 departed for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.
Local News
Shaun Martin Holt, 37, and Dayna Rae McBride, 36, Killed in Beryl Highway Crash That Also Claimed Two Dogs
A devastating collision on Beryl Highway in Iron County, Utah, has claimed the lives of two people and their two beloved dogs, leaving their families and the surrounding community mourning an unimaginable loss.
Authorities identified the victims as 37-year-old Shaun Martin Holt, who was driving the sedan, and 36-year-old Dayna Rae McBride, his passenger. The two dogs traveling with them inside the vehicle also died at the scene.
According to the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal crash happened when a sedan traveling eastbound approached an intersection on Beryl Highway and collided with a school bus heading north. The force of the impact caused the bus to overturn, turning the collision into a serious emergency.
Investigators identified Holt and McBride as the two occupants of the sedan who lost their lives in the crash. Their deaths have brought profound sadness to those who knew them, while the loss of their two dogs has added another heartbreaking dimension to the tragedy.
Witnesses reportedly told investigators that the sedan was traveling at a high rate of speed before the collision. However, authorities have not announced a final determination regarding the cause of the crash. The investigation remains ongoing, and officials will need to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Although the school bus was involved in a serious collision, no children were aboard at the time.
According to the information released, the bus had already completed its student drop-off route for the Escalante Valley Elementary School District. Only the bus driver and a bus aide were inside the vehicle when the crash occurred.
Both were injured and transported to area hospitals for treatment. Their conditions have not been publicly released.
The fact that no students were on the bus was a significant relief amid an otherwise devastating incident. Nevertheless, the driver and aide now face recovery from injuries sustained in the collision.
The Iron County School District released a statement expressing concern for the injured school transportation employees and offering condolences to the families of those who died.
“Our thoughts are with the bus driver and aide who are being treated at area hospitals for their injuries. We also extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the family of those who died in this accident,” the district stated.
The district also noted that this was the third school-bus-related accident reported during the year and the second fatal one in 2026, making the incident particularly painful for the local community.
Authorities continue working to determine exactly what led to the collision at the Beryl Highway intersection. While witness accounts reportedly described the sedan as traveling at a high rate of speed, the precise cause has not yet been officially established.
Investigators will examine the available evidence as they work to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash. Further details may be released as the investigation progresses.
The deaths of Shaun Martin Holt and Dayna Rae McBride represent two lives lost far too soon. They were traveling together with their two dogs when the collision occurred, and all four were lost in the tragedy.
For their loved ones, the loss is immeasurable. Family members and friends are now left with grief, memories, and the difficult task of moving forward without them.
The crash has also affected the school bus driver and aide who were injured, as well as the wider Escalante Valley community.
Please keep the families and friends of Shaun Holt and Dayna McBride in your thoughts, along with the injured bus driver and aide and everyone affected by this heartbreaking incident.
May Shaun Martin Holt, Dayna Rae McBride, and their two beloved dogs rest in peace. May their families find comfort, strength, and support during this difficult time.