UPS cargo plane crashes in Alabama

Various media outlets are reporting that a UPS cargo plane crashed in a field while attempting to land at the Birmingham, Alabama airport around 6 a.m. ET today.

The New York Times reported that UPS Flight 1354 was en route from Louisville, Ky. and made its descent toward Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, about five miles northeast of downtown Birmingham.

Media reports are now saying that the two crew members aboard the plane were killed.

“This incident is very unfortunate, and our thoughts and prayers are with those involved,” UPS Airlines President Mitch Nichols said in a statement. “We place the utmost value on the safety of our employees, our customers and the public. We will immediately engage with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation, and we will work exhaustively on response efforts.”

USA Today is reporting that flight tracking site flightaware.com shows the cargo plane, identified by the site and the FAA as flight UPS1354, dropped more than 9,000 feet over the course of two minutes about four minutes before the crash.