‘Repeating bell’ heard on cockpit recording from UPS plane before fatal crash
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Cockpit recorder captured a repeating bell 25 seconds before impact.
- NTSB formed MD-11 expert group to review recording and FDR data over several months.
- Left engine separated after takeoff; crash killed 13 and destroyed businesses.
A “repeating bell” was heard on the cockpit recording from the UPS cargo plane only seconds before it crashed south of Louisville’s airport on Tuesday, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The sound — which could be a variety of alarms — was heard about 37 seconds after the UPS crew called for takeoff thrust, said NTSB member Todd Inman during a Friday news conference. The sound was persistently heard for about 25 seconds, until the end of the recording, which is believed to be when the crash occurred.
“There could be numerous different types of alarms and what they may mean,” Inman said. “Obviously, we have a working theory right now, and we’re trying to validate that against the (flight data recorder).”
The crash happened shortly before 5:15 p.m. Tuesday as UPS Flight 2976 was leaving the airport in Louisville bound for Honolulu, killing at least 14 people, including the three UPS crew members, and injuring several others. Inman said Wednesday airport video showed the left engine of the MD-11 McDonnell Douglas aircraft detaching soon after takeoff.
The recording contained two hours and four minutes of “good quality digital recorded audio.” Inman said the crew completed the standard checklists and briefings for the flight and described the takeoff roll as “uneventful” through the different speed call-outs.
While the bell was ringing, the crew attempted to control the plane before it ultimately crashed, Inman said. The NTSB is forming a group of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 experts to review the recording.
A transcript of the recording will be made available once officials have finished using it for the investigation. Inman predicted this would take several months.
The investigation is still in the fact-finding phase, Inman said. Friday’s news conference is the last planned in-person news conference by the NTSB.
The bulk of the left engine pylon was still attached to the engine when it separated from the wing, Inman said Friday. All the engine pieces found in the airway have been sent to a lab for testing.
The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, had previously undergone six weeks of maintenance in September and October in San Antonio. Inman described the maintenance routine performed in San Antonio as a heavy check, and investigators are seeking records related to the check.
A proposed class-action lawsuit against UPS claimed the plane underwent emergency repairs to a cracked center wing upper fuel tank and had a crack and corrosion in its fuselage while in San Antonio. The engines that powered the UPS plane, CF6 engines built by General Electric, also had similar defects compared to another CF6 engine that caused an American Airlines jet to crash and kill 273 people.
Several businesses were impacted or totally destroyed by Tuesday’s crash, including GFL Environmental and Grade A Auto Parts, both located south of UPS Worldport. The lawsuit says the crash “upended the lives and livelihoods” of the plaintiffs.
The NTSB released aerial drone footage of the crash site, showing a large, burned debris field a short distance from Muhammad Ali International Airport. A satellite imaging company also released photos that were taken about 18 hours after the crash, showing a 90-meter scar on top of a UPS warehouse next to the airport, a large path of debris about a half-mile long and burned vehicles and pavement from the wake of the fiery crash.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 4:37 PM.
