Did Krystal Keith’s mother pass away? Louisville UPS plane crash victim misinformation spreads online amid tragedy

A UPS plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed the lives of at least 12, including a child, on Tuesday. While multiple people are reported to be missing and injured, plenty of misinformation about the victims has surfaced on social media. 

A post that appeared on the Facebook page, Cowboy Country Spirit, shared an unfounded claim about Krystal Keith’s mother, Tricia Lucus. The rumor suggested that she was among the victims of the UPS plane crash. The post read: 

“Tricia Lucus is among the victims of the tragic UPS MD-11 cargo plane crash, which plunged into a truck stop in Louisville, Kentucky, early yesterday morning. The disaster left at least 11 people injured, many of them in critical condition.” 

The post asserted that Krystal Kieth was “completely devastated” after the personal tragedy. The Cowboy Country Spirit page also cited an unreliable blog to back its claim about the late country legend Toby Keith’s wife. 

However, the social media report is false, as Tricia Lucus did not pass away. The Louisville Police and local authorities have yet to reveal the identities of the victims publicly. As of this writing, multiple people are still unaccounted for, as authorities fear a rise in the death toll. 

A joint investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also underway. At the same time, the misinformation about the victims has continued to spread. 

A Facebook post suggested that Barbra Streisand’s husband and Josh Brolin’s father, James Brolin, died in the crash. Another post claimed that Chris Tomlin’s brother passed away in the disastrous incident. Neither of the claims about the UPS Airlines tragedy is true. 

UPS Plane Crash: The freighter aircraft’s left engine reportedly detached during its takeoff roll

NTSB Member Todd Inman briefed the media on Wednesday, November 5, regarding the air disaster that occurred in Louisville, Kentucky, the previous day. On Tuesday evening, a UPS Airlines craft – a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F – took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport bound for Honolulu, Hawaii. 

There were three crew members onboard the plane that crashed over the nearby buildings, including Grade A Auto Parts and Kentucky Petroleum Recycling. The incident occurred around 5:15 pm local time, confirmed by Inman. He confirmed that the crash happened soon after the takeoff: 

“After being cleared for takeoff, a large plume of fire in the area of the left wing occurred during the takeoff roll. The plane lifted off and gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of runway 17R.” 

Inman added: 

“Shortly after clearing that fence, it made impact with structures and the terrain off of the airport property.”  

Inman confirmed that the impact resulted in a fire that covered “approximately almost a half of a mile.” He also mentioned CCTV footage that captured the left engine being detached from the aircraft during the takeoff roll. Inman said: 

“We have viewed airport CCTV security coverage which shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll.” 

Inman noted that the CCTV footage, along with other videos and evidence, will be crucial to NTSB’s ongoing investigation. The investigators were able to locate the black box – cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder – before Inman’s press conference. 

While NTSB is preparing its preliminary report, Carol B. Tomé, UPS Airlines CEO, addressed the airplane crash in a statement on Wednesday and said: 

"We have suffered a tragic accident involving Flight 2976. We are deeply saddened and our hearts continue to be with all who have been impacted. We will keep them in our hearts as we continue our commitment to safety, care and community. " 

She shared her gratitude towards UPS Airlines' Louisville team "for their grace and professionalism," and added: 

"We are not alone in this moment and from the notes I’ve received from around the world, I know that solidarity and empathy are powerful forces in healing. United, we are strong. " 

On Wednesday, WLKY spoke with a witness who survived the air disaster that claimed the lives of his friends. Robert Sanders worked as a maintenance worker at Grade A Auto Parts and returned to his RV minutes before the crash. He recounted during a conversation with the channel: 

“I had just been in my RV like two minutes earlier, and I came down there to building 12. I went inside, and as soon as I went inside, the lights and everything just went out. Everything went black.” 

He added:

“And all of a sudden, I started hearing this real loud like rumbling, roaring sound, and I stepped outside the bay door there and looked, and the only thing I could see was black smoke, flames, and fireballs.”

Robert Sanders, who was visibly shaken, described the incident as “scary,” fearing everyone was going to die. Sanders recalled thinking that “the world was coming to an end” when the plane crashed into the building.