Ella Petty Whorton walked into a scrap-metal yard on the afternoon of November 4 to drop off some materials, a simple errand she had done before. Minutes later, she vanished into the chaos of one of the deadliest aviation disasters Louisville has ever seen. She was standing inside the business when UPS Flight 2976, a 34-year-old cargo jet climbing out of Louisville Muhammad Ali International
Airport, suffered a catastrophic engine separation that sent the aircraft spiraling straight toward the commercial strip along Fern Valley Road.The MD-11F freighter had been airborne for less than a minute when its left engine tore away from the wing, erupting in flames and leaving a trail of burning debris streaking across the sky. Witnesses described a horrifying sequence:
a loud boom, a flash of fire, and then the massive jet banking uncontrollably before plunging downward. The plane slammed into a cluster of businesses, including the auto-parts and salvage outlet where Whorton was last confirmed to be standing.The explosion that followed was so violent it obliterated two buildings instantly, reduced vehicles to twisted metal, and set fire to surrounding structures.
First responders could only describe the scene as total devastation. Fourteen people were killed, including the aircraft’s two pilots, employees inside the impacted buildings, and several customers caught in the wrong place at the worst possible moment. Whorton remains among the victims not yet publicly identified through final examination, though her family has been notified and is awaiting confirmation.
The National Transportation Safety Board is now leading a full investigation, examining the failed engine, reviewing flight data, and collecting debris across a wide radius. While experts work to uncover what went wrong mechanically, families like the Whortons are left facing an unthinkable truth: an ordinary afternoon errand became the last moment they ever shared with someone they loved.
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