2 pilots killed after Air Canada jet hits fire truck, forcing New York’s LaGuardia airport to close
Two pilots were killed at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night after an Air Canada jet struck a Port Authority vehicle on the ground while landing, officials said. More than 40 passengers, crew members and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting officers were hospitalized. The airport is expected to be closed until 2 p.m. Monday.
Coverage for this event has ended.
LaGuardia crash black boxes intact as probe zeroes in on final seconds
Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) from the plane crash at LaGuardia airport, with early analysis already underway and key findings expected soon.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said the cockpit voice recorder “was not damaged,” and has already been transported to Washington, D.C. for analysis.
She explained that in order to get to the recorders, the NTSB, Port Authority and emergency responders cut a hole in the roof of the aircraft. The recorders were then taken back to the NTSB’s labs in Washington, D.C.
“They’ve been able to at least verify that the cockpit voice recorder was not damaged,” Homendy said, adding that work on the flight data recorder will begin Tuesday. “My hope is that we’ll have information to share on that tomorrow.”
Homendy said investigators are working to determine key details, including the position of the aircraft and the fire truck in the moments before the crash.
“That is actually what …we hope to get from the FDR,” she said.
The investigation also includes reviewing surveillance footage and air traffic control data, including a replay of the airport surface detection system used by controllers.
Homendy noted the crash scene is extensive, with debris spread across multiple areas of the runway and taxiway.
“It’s pretty expansive,” she said, adding that investigators must carefully document and collect evidence before removing wreckage — a process expected to take days.
LaGuardia crash puts focus on controller as investigators guard key details
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said an air traffic controller involved in the deadly plane crash at LaGuardia airport would “typically” be removed from duty, while stressing investigators are still verifying key details before releasing more information.
Homendy said the agency has information about tower staffing and the controller’s role, but is not yet prepared to make that information public as it continues to be corroborated.
“Typically they would be removed from duty, and, certainly, it's pretty traumatic for that air traffic controller as well,” Homendy said when asked what happens to a controller following an incident like the crash at LaGuardia airport. “We'll want to interview that air traffic controller as well as others that were in the tower, or maybe not even in the tower.”
She added that questions about the controller’s current status would have to be answered by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Homendy emphasized that the agency is still working to verify critical details tied to staffing, communications and timing before drawing any conclusions.
“We have information. Yes, but we need to verify that information before we provide it,” she said.
LaGuardia crash impact point may have prevented catastrophic fireball
The deadly plane crash at LaGuardia airport could have been far worse if the Air Canada jet had struck the fire truck at a slightly different angle, according to an aviation safety analyst.
Former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector David Soucie told CNN that the point of impact likely prevented a much more catastrophic outcome.
“Because that aircraft hit directly in the middle of the fire truck, the fire truck was moved forward, and the aircraft was damaged in the nose,” Soucie said.
Soucie explained that a different point of impact could have led to a far deadlier scenario involving the aircraft’s fuel system.
If the truck had been positioned just 40 feet in either direction, “it would have struck against the wing, the fuel cells, the engines and would have created a huge fire and … many, many fatalities,” he said.
Despite the loss of two pilots and numerous injuries, Soucie described the outcome as narrowly avoiding a larger disaster.
“So as tragic as this is for the two that we’ve lost, just out of pure luck, that airplane hit in the middle of that fire truck and reduced the number of fatalities significantly.”
Fatal LaGuardia collision renews focus on runway incursion risks across US
Runway incursions remain a threat to the safety of air travel as jets face risks from collisions with other aircraft as well as vehicles on the tarmac.
An incident occurred at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night when an Air Canada Express CRJ-900, operated by the airline's regional partner Jazz Aviation as Flight 4686, collided with a fire truck while it was landing. The jet carried 72 passengers and four crew members and arrived in New York from Montreal.
The collision killed both the pilot and first officers, according to Jazz and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, while dozens of injuries were reported. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent a team of experts to investigate the incident.
The tragic accident comes as the public has in recent years become more aware of runway incursions at the nation's airports, which occur when an aircraft, vehicle or person is incorrectly present in an area designated for the landing and take off of an aircraft.
Find out more about why Runway incursions remain a threat to air travel safety.
This is an excerpt from a story by FOX Business’ Eric Revell.
Former officials say deadly LaGuardia crash may have been preventable error
The plane crash at LaGuardia airport that killed two pilots may have been avoidable, a former Department of Transportation inspector general and a retired FAA air traffic controller told the New York Post, pointing to a breakdown in coordination.
Mary Schiavo, who previously served as the Department of Transportation’s inspector general, told the New York Post, “Once that aircraft was cleared to land…it owned that runway.”
Audio from before the crash suggests confusion between ground control and the control tower, with what appeared to be one person handling both roles, Schiavo said.
“There are two parts here — there’s the control in the tower, also called local control, and there’s ground control. And those two air traffic control entities are supposed to coordinate with each other,” Schiavo said. “So clearly they either did not coordinate, or they did and were just wrong. But giving a firetruck clearance to cross the runway after an aircraft has been cleared to run in this final is a clear error. There’s just no way around that.”
She added that someone made a “very critical mistake” in allowing the truck to cross the runway after the aircraft had been cleared to land.
The New York Post also reported that retired air traffic controller Harvey Sconick, who spent more than 38 years with the FAA, pointed to a serious lapse in judgment.
“The controller who crossed those vehicles while the airplane was landing just went brain-dead for a minute,” Sconick said. “There’s no explanation I can give you that would make any sense why the controller would cross those vehicles, knowing that there’s a runway, that there’s an airplane flaring out to land.”
“It’s possible that one person was directing both air and ground traffic late at night when the airport got less busy, or perhaps the controllers were working on different frequencies and unable to communicate,” he added.
“Unless the fire truck driver fell asleep, he would have heard that there was an airplane landing on that runway,” Sconick continued. “And when the controller cleared him to cross the runway, he would have said, ‘Hey, are you sure you want us to cross? You’ve got a guy landing.’”
Air Canada reels after deadly LaGuardia crash as families seek answers
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau said it is a “very somber day” for the airline after the plane crash at LaGuardia airport that killed two crew members aboard an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 flight.
“Today is a very somber day at Air Canada,” Rousseau said. “I want to express our deepest sorrow for everyone affected.”
Rousseau confirmed the captain and first officer were killed in the crash, saying the airline is “deeply saddened by the loss” and offering condolences to their families and the broader aviation community.
“Our efforts are focused on the needs of our passengers and crew members, along with their families and loved ones,” he said. “We know this is a difficult day for everyone, including all of us at Air Canada.”
Rousseau cautioned that many details remain unclear as the investigation unfolds.
“We know that there are many questions, but at this early stage, we do not have all the answers as the circumstances are still being assessed,” he said.
He added that Air Canada has activated a support response for those impacted.
“The Air Canada Special Assistance Team has been activated to assist our customers and their families,” Rousseau said, adding that the airline is “fully supporting the relevant investigative authorities in their investigation to learn everything we can about these events.”
Rousseau said the airline has also established a hotline for families seeking information.
“We understand and appreciate that people are seeking information,” he said. “Please know that we will provide information as it is verified and cleared by the authorities for release.”
Miracle survival after LaGuardia crash as attendant thrown from aircraft
The daughter of a flight attendant aboard the Air Canada jet that struck a fire truck on the runway said “it’s a miracle she is alive” after her mother was thrown from the plane while still strapped into her seat.
Fox News’ Tamara Gitt reached out to the flight attendant’s daughter, Sarah Lépine, on Facebook to ask how her mother, Solange Tremblay, is doing.
Lépine said she would not be doing interviews, but added, “My mom is still in surgery for the injuries on her leg as of now i do not have any more information, it’s a miracle she is alive.”
“No one truly knows what happened, she was sitting in her seat when it all happened, on impact she got ejected from the plane and found about 100m further still tied in her seat,” Lépine said when asked for more information about what happened. “Multiple beaks and fractures on her right leg that needed surgery.”
Fox News’ Tamara Gitt contributed to this report.
Crash probe intensifies as NTSB teams inspect wreckage at LaGuardia
National Transportation Safety Board investigators were seen on the runway at LaGuardia airport Monday, examining the scene of the plane crash involving an Air Canada jet and a fire truck.
An image released by the agency showed a team of investigators approaching the aircraft, which remained on the tarmac with its nose still upright following the LaGuardia airport crash.
“NTSB investigators walk the scene of the Mar. 22 collision between an Air Canada Express plane and a firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport,” the NTSB posted on X.
Feds detail runway sequence in LaGuardia crash but key failures unclear
Federal officials revealed a chain of events behind the plane crash at LaGuardia airport, saying an Air Canada CRJ-900 struck a fire truck that had been deployed after a separate rejected takeoff.
The collision, which occurred around 11:45 p.m., left both pilots dead and sent dozens of passengers and first responders to the hospital, as investigators work to determine how the aircraft and emergency vehicle ended up on the same runway at LaGuardia airport.
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator (FAA) Bryan Bedford said the emergency vehicle had been deployed in response to a separate United Airlines rejected takeoff before the crash at LaGuardia.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said approximately 72 passengers and four crew members were on board the Air Canada flight when the plane crash at LaGuardia airport occurred, with many later released from hospitals following treatment.
Officials said LaGuardia airport is now open but operating at reduced capacity, with the aircraft and emergency vehicle still in place following the LaGuardia airport crash.
Duffy also pushed back on reports about staffing, saying rumors that only one air traffic controller was in the tower at the time were “not accurate.”
He was also asked how many air traffic controllers were working in the tower on Sunday night, though he declined to comment.
“We have a very good relationship with the NTSB. We have information. We don’t put that information out. We allow the NTSB to gather the information, double, triple check it, and it goes into their report,” Duffy said. “So I’m not going to give the data on that. That will be for the NTSB at the appropriate time.”
The transportation secretary said LaGuardia is considered a “well staffed airport,” while outlining current staffing levels and broader system needs.
“I’ve been asking Congress for additional money. We are modernizing our system, but we can’t fully modernize it until the Congress gives us additional money. It’s not a partisan issue. Both Democrats and Republicans agree, but they have to have the will to finish the funding,” Duffy said.
He added, “This airport has a target of 37 controllers at LaGuardia. We have 33 controllers, employed, certified at LaGuardia, and we have six — actually seven — that are in training. So as our airports go, LaGuardia is a very well staffed airport.”
Duffy also pointed to broader infrastructure needs, saying there is a “whole suite of technological upgrades” required to move from older analog systems to more modern digital technology.
Air traffic controllers union mourns LaGuardia crash as probe zeroes in
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said it is “deeply saddened” following the plane crash at LaGuardia airport involving an Air Canada CRJ-900 and a ground vehicle, as the union offered condolences and support while the NTSB investigates the crash.
“Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time. We extend our sincere condolences and stand in support of the entire aviation community including our brothers and sisters with the Air Line Pilots Association and the Canadian Flight Attendant Union who have been affected by this tragedy,” the union said.
“NATCA is supporting our members at LaGuardia Airport through our Critical Incident Stress Management program and is working to provide the necessary resources and assistance at this time,” the group added.
NATCA noted it is a party to the investigation being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and will not offer comment until the agency completes its work.
New video shows deadly LaGuardia crash
New video shows the moment of a deadly ground collision between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Sunday night.
The plane is seen landing on Runway 4 around 11:45 p.m. as the Port Authority fire truck crosses the runway in front of the aircraft’s path.
In an air traffic control audio clip from the moments before the crash, a controller can be heard on a radio transmission discussing the request for the emergency vehicle to cross part of the tarmac, appearing to give clearance before he then frantically tried to stop the vehicle.
"Stop, Truck 1. Stop," the transmission said. "Frontier 4195, stop there please. "Stop, stop, stop, stop."
"Truck 1, stop, stop, stop," a controller was heard saying. "Stop truck one. Stop!"
The aircraft strikes the fire truck head on, according to the video, completely ripping off the nose of the plane.
Both pilots aboard the CRJ-900 plane were killed. Officials said dozens of others aboard the plane were injured. At least two Port Authority firefighters in the truck also suffered “serious injuries,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
A Port Authority spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle was responding to a separate incident as the aircraft was landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the circumstances that led to the fatal collision.
Flights resume at LaGuardia after crash but travelers face ripple delays
LaGuardia airport has reopened following a plane crash at LaGuardia airport, but travelers should expect delays and cancellations as airlines — including Air Canada — work to restore normal operations.
Officials confirmed operations resumed at LaGuardia airport after the earlier crash at the New York airport involving an Air Canada flight and a fire truck, though residual disruptions from the incident continue to impact departures and arrivals.
“LaGuardia Airport is now open, expect delays and/or cancellations,” airport officials posted on X. “Plan ahead and check with your airline for the latest updates.”
Passengers traveling through LGA are urged to check with their airline, as delays tied to the LaGuardia plane crash today are expected to persist.
Flight attendant who was strapped into seat was ejected: report
New details have emerged about the victims involved in a deadly ground collision at LaGuardia Airport in the hours after an Air Canada jet hit a fire truck on a runway.
A flight attendant who was strapped into her seat aboard the aircraft was ejected, sources told FOX5 New York’s Lisa Evers. The flight attendant’s condition was not immediately clear.
Two Port Authority officers who were on the fire truck suffered broken bones, but were expected to survive, the New York Post reported.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the Air Canada Express regional jet, which was operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada's regional partner.
Both pilots were killed and dozens of others were injured. The identities of the two pilots have yet to be released publicly.
While many of those hospitalized have since been released, officials say some suffered “serious injuries.”
Jack Cabot, a passenger aboard the flight, earlier described many of the passengers as bleeding from their heads.
“I remember looking behind me after we got off and there was some guy with just blood coming off his face,” he said. “A lot of people got pretty hurt.”
Majority of LaGuardia flights remain canceled as dozens of passengers await new departure times
Dozens of airline passengers were at LaGuardia Airport Monday morning awaiting new flight departure times as the hub remained closed following a deadly runway collision between an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority fire truck.
Passengers were seen sitting spread out whether on the floor or on the benches with their luggage around 11:30 a.m. local time. Some were on their phones, while others were reading a book to kill time.
An hour earlier, the airport was nearly empty with only some passengers, flight crew, and security in the terminals. Activity has been picking up into the afternoon with people checking into security to get to their gates early.
There were no long lines at this time as activity appeared to be moving smoothly and slowly throughout the airport, which was expected to reopen at 2 p.m. local time.
The departure board showed most flights remained canceled, though a select few showed new departure times after 2p.m. local time, including American 3326 to Palm Beach now leaving at 2:30 p.m. and United 2371 leaving for Houston at 3:20 p.m. to Houston.
More flights were appearing on the board with new departure times.
Reporting by Fox News’ Sandy Ibrahim.
Canadian PM Carney says Canada working with US to investigate ‘deeply saddening’ LaGuardia collision
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney commented on the ground collision at LaGuardia Airport in New York that left two pilots dead and dozens of others injured.
Carney wrote in a post on X that the fatal collision involving an Air Canada Express aircraft was “deeply saddening.”
“Canadian officials are working closely with their U.S. counterparts on the ground as the investigation continues,” Carney wrote. “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted.”
Canada’s Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon earlier posted on X that the Canadian government was following developments closely and that aviation safety remains its highest priority.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport involving an Air Canada Express aircraft arriving from Montréal,” MacKinnon wrote. “My thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and colleagues of those who lost their lives, as well as all those who were injured.”
Head-on image of LaGuardia crash shows new angle of damage
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared a head-on image that showed a new angle of damage to an Air Canada aircraft that collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night.
Duffy shared the photo Monday morning in a post on X, writing that he was enroute to the airport in response to the “horrific crash.”
Duffy wrote that the NTSB and FAA were working closely on an investigation, adding that updates would be provided as soon as possible.
The secretary earlier said that the Air Canada jet was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. The two pilots were killed, while more than a dozen others on board and at least two Port Authority firefighters were injured.
Trump says ‘they made a mistake’ when asked about deadly LaGuardia ground collision
President Donald Trump commented on the deadly ground collision that happened at LaGuardia Airport in New York as he spoke with reporters on Monday morning.
Trump was asked about the collision that killed two pilots and left dozens of others injured while answering questions from the media on the tarmac of Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, before boarding Air Force One for a flight to Memphis, Tennessee.
“They made a mistake,” Trump said, without elaborating on who. “It's a dangerous business. That's terrible.”
The circumstances leading up to the collision remain unclear.
A Port Authority spokesperson earlier said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle was responding to a separate incident as the aircraft was landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
Pilots killed in LaGuardia collision ‘dedicated their careers’ to flying passengers safely: union
The two pilots killed when an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia Airport were dedicated to flying passengers through the skies safely, a union representing the pilots said Monday morning.
Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), said in a statement that the loss of the two pilots was a “profound tragedy.”
“These pilots dedicated their careers to the safe transport of passengers, and we are all thinking of their families, loved ones, and colleagues at Jazz Aviation during this devastating time,” Ambrosi said.
The identities of the pilots have yet to be released to the public.
Ambrosi said that the union’s accident investigation team is traveling to LaGuardia to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation. He added that the union’s Critical Incident Response Program is working to its members and the families of those involved in the collision.
The union represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines.
Control tower evacuation at Newark airport forces temporary ground stop
A brief ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was issued Monday morning after a burning smell in an elevator forced the evacuation of an air traffic control tower, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
The incident happened around 7:30 a.m. local time, the FAA said.
“Arrivals and departures are temporarily paused at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower because of a burning smell coming from an elevator,” the FAA said in a statement.
The FAA announced around 8:30 a.m. that the ground stop had been lifted.
Hochul, Mamdani respond to ‘heartbreaking’ collision at LaGuardia
New York state and New York City leaders responded to the deadly collision at LaGuardia airport that killed two pilots aboard an Air Canada jet and left dozens of others injured.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the incident “heartbreaking” in a post on X.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected,” she wrote.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he had been briefed on the tragic collision.
“The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, and the City is in close contact with federal, state, and local partners,” the mayor wrote on X. “I am grateful to our first responders, whose swift actions saved lives.”
New York City Comptroller Mark Levin called the incident “horrific” in a post on X.
“My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” he wrote. “Will be critical to learn what failures allowed this to happen.”