So, if you're looking for where did the plane crash today, the big news isn't actually a new impact from the last few hours, but a massive, somewhat terrifying revelation about a crash we’re all still thinking about.
Investigations into the UPS Flight 2976 disaster in Louisville, Kentucky, just hit a major turning point. Honestly, the details coming out of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) right now are enough to make anyone a little uneasy about older cargo planes.
What’s the deal with the Louisville crash?
The NTSB just dropped a preliminary report today, January 15, 2026, and it’s a heavy read. We basically found out that a specific part securing the engine to the wing—a spherical bearing race—had failed four times on other aircraft before this specific MD-11 went down.
The plane crashed into an industrial complex right after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. It was a mess. A total of 15 people died: three crew members and 12 people on the ground. One of the victims actually passed away just a few weeks ago on Christmas Day from their injuries.
Witnesses said they saw fire on the wing and then the engine literally detached. Can you imagine? The engine just fell off while they were trying to gain altitude.
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Why today’s news matters
The reason everyone is searching for "where did the plane crash today" is because of the NTSB’s bombshell about Boeing. Since Boeing bought McDonnell Douglas (the original makers of the MD-11), they’ve been the ones handling the safety bulletins.
The report says Boeing knew about this defect back in 2011. They warned owners, sure, but they didn't think it was a "safety of flight" issue. Because of that, they didn't require immediate fixes. They just said, "Hey, check it every 60 months."
Well, the engine fell off.
The last time those specific mounts were checked on the doomed UPS plane was way back in October 2021. It wasn’t even due for another look for 7,000 more takeoffs. This has sparked a huge debate about whether these older airframes need way more aggressive maintenance than what's currently required.
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Other recent incidents you might have heard about
While the Louisville report is the biggest headline today, there have been a few other "close calls" and smaller accidents in the first two weeks of January that have people on edge:
- Telluride, Colorado (January 13): A Cessna 750 had its landing gear collapse right on the runway. Luckily, everyone walked away.
- Paipa, Colombia (January 10): This was a bad one. A Piper PA-31 Navajo went down, killing six people, including a well-known singer, Yeison Jiménez.
- Addison Airport, Dallas (January 9): A Cessna 172 ended up in a field north of the runway. No one was hurt, but it looked pretty scary.
- Teterboro, New Jersey (January 5): A JSX Flight 1121 blew its tires on landing. It caused a lot of delays but no injuries.
The Hawker business jet warning
Also happening today, the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) just backed some "urgent" safety recommendations for Hawker business jets.
Apparently, there were two fatal crashes—one in Utah and one in Michigan—where the planes stalled and went into uncommanded rolls during post-maintenance testing. The NTSB is basically saying the wing design on these things is so sensitive that even a tiny error during maintenance can make the plane fly like a brick.
They’re pushing for much better pilot training because, apparently, regular line pilots aren't always ready for how these planes react when things go sideways.
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What should you actually do with this info?
If you're a frequent flyer or just someone who worries about this stuff, it’s easy to get caught up in the "scary" headlines. Aviation is still statistically incredibly safe, but the "where did the plane crash today" searches usually point to a few things you can actually track:
- Check the NTSB Database: If you want the raw, unfiltered truth without the sensationalism, the NTSB's official site is where the real data lives.
- Watch the MD-11 Fleet: Most MD-11s are used for cargo (UPS, FedEx), not passengers. If you see news about cargo groundings, it’s because of that Louisville engine mount issue.
- Use Flight Tracking Apps: Apps like Flightradar24 are great for seeing "incidents" in real-time, like diverted flights or emergency squawks (7700 codes).
The aviation industry is definitely under a microscope right now, especially with Boeing’s history of "knowledge without action" being questioned again. For now, the focus is on those older cargo planes and making sure an engine never falls off a wing again.
Stay informed by checking the FAA’s preliminary accident notices, which usually update every business day around 10:00 AM EST. That's the fastest way to get verified info on any small-scale crashes that don't make the national evening news.