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UPS on Thursday identified the flight crew killed in a fiery plane crash Tuesday at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky, which claimed the lives of 12 people and left nearly a dozen others injured.
The three deceased UPS pilots on board Flight 2976 were identified as Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 1st Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Capt. Dana Diamond, according to UPS Airlines executive vice president Nando Cesarone.
"Words can’t express the sorrow we feel over the heartbreaking Flight 2976 accident," Cesarone wrote in a statement on X. "Our hearts go out to every UPSer who has been impacted and all in our Louisville community— supporting you and ensuring you receive the care and resources you need is our priority."
The UPS cargo plane, which was loaded with about 38,000 gallons of fuel and bound for Hawaii, crashed into the nearby Kentucky Petroleum Recycling building after departing from SDF at about 5:15 p.m. ET Tuesday, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
The NTSB's J. Todd Inman listens to a repoter's question at the Louisville Regional Airport Authority in Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport during a news conference, Wednesday, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
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At the time of the disaster, the oil recycling company had 29 above-ground storage tanks, containing about 226,000 gallons of used motor oil and 37,000 gallons of oil-water-antifreeze mix, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
EPA on-scene coordinators confirmed several of the large, above-ground storage tanks at Kentucky Petroleum Recycling broke open and fell over. The facility remains closed while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates.
Preliminary flight data indicates the aircraft's last recorded elevation was 475 feet, and it was traveling at 183 knots at the time of the crash, according to NTSB officials. The EPA confirmed there was no hazardous material cargo onboard the aircraft.
UPS jets are parked at the Worldport package sorting complex at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Thursday, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
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At least 12 people are dead, including the three crew members onboard and a young child, and 11 others on the ground were injured, Beshear said. Others are still unaccounted for.
"This continues to be an incredibly sad time for our entire UPS family, and as our CEO, Carol Tomé reminded us: ‘United, we are strong,’" Cesarone wrote. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of our colleagues, and to the loved ones of those in the Louisville community."
Though the cause of the crash has not yet been released, NTSB officials said Wednesday the left engine detached from the plane and was found on the airfield.
On Thursday, the NTSB confirmed data was successfully recovered from the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, commonly known as the "black box," at a Washington, D.C. lab.
NTSB officials on Thursday said the plane was in San Antonio, Texas, for six weeks prior to the crash, and that it may have been used as a replacement shortly before take-off due to maintenance issues with the originally scheduled aircraft.
The ATC tower is seen while smoke rises from the crash site of UPS Flight 2976 near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Wednesday, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
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The EPA is working closely with state and local agencies, along with UPS, to clean up oil released into nearby streams that flow into the Salt and Ohio rivers.
EPA officials said the agency will remain on site to ensure clean air, land and water for nearby residents.
The NTSB confirmed the FBI is assisting with the investigation "under a longstanding Interagency agreement."
The Louisville airport is home to UPS Worldport, a global hub for the shipping company's air cargo operations and its largest package-handling facility worldwide.
Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.
She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.
