New Bodycam and Aerial Footage Shows Scale of Horrific UPS Cargo Plane Tragedy [WATCH]

Newly released body camera and aerial footage from the Louisville Metro Police Department shows officers rushing to help people reach safety in the moments after a deadly UPS cargo plane crash near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, while also documenting the extensive destruction left behind.

Fifteen people were killed when UPS Flight 2976 crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville on Nov. 4.

The victims included three members of the flight crew and multiple people on the ground.

The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 built in 1991, was departing from UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and was bound for Honolulu on a scheduled nine-hour flight.

According to investigators, the plane went down around 5:15 p.m. after its left wing caught fire during the takeoff sequence.

The aircraft was fully fueled at the time of departure.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report that the plane’s left engine caught fire and detached during takeoff.

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The agency’s investigation found that the component securing the engine showed “fatigue cracks.”

Investigators said the aircraft reached only about 30 feet in the air before losing control, crashing, and bursting into flames.

The plane struck several businesses just south of the airport, igniting fires and scattering debris across the area.

Louisville Metro Police released two separate body camera videos showing officers responding amid the chaos on the ground.

The first video captures officers arriving just moments after the crash.

In the footage, officers are seen directing people away from the immediate crash zone as thick smoke billowed nearby.

Officers instructed some individuals to abandon their vehicles and move on foot to safety if they were unable to drive away from the area.

The video shows a heavy cloud of smoke rising from the crash site as officers check on people who were near the impact area, assessing injuries and urging them to leave as quickly as possible.

The second body camera video shows officers later in the evening surveying the destruction caused by the crash. The footage reveals widespread debris, destroyed semi-trucks, and significant structural damage to nearby buildings.

Fires can still be seen burning in the background as officers react to the scene and continue securing the area.

In addition to the body camera footage, aerial video captured by an LMPD helicopter provided a broader view of the devastation.

The helicopter footage shows a thick black cloud of smoke filling the air above the crash site as fires continued to burn.

From above, the scale of the damage is visible, with debris spread across a large area near the airport and surrounding businesses.

The NTSB investigation into the crash remains ongoing.

The preliminary findings focused on the mechanical failure involving the left engine, but investigators have said additional analysis will be conducted to determine the full sequence of events that led to the crash.

Authorities have identified the 15 victims killed in the crash.

The flight crew members were Capt. Dana Diamond, 62; Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 57; and First Officer Lee Truitt, 45.

The other victims were Angela Anderson, 45; Carlos Fernandez, 52; Louisnes Fedon, 47; Kimberly Asa, 3, the granddaughter of Louisnes Fedon; Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37; Tony Crain, 65; John Loucks, 52; John Spray Jr., 45; Matthew Sweets, 37; Ella Petty Whorton, 31; Megan Washburn, 35; and Alain Rodriguez Colina, 50.

UPS has said it is cooperating fully with the investigation.

Local, state, and federal agencies continue to examine the wreckage and review data as they work to determine the precise cause of the crash and whether additional safety recommendations will follow.