Two pilots killed after Air Canada Jet collides with Fire Truck at LaGuardia
An Air Canada regional jet collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport just before midnight Sunday, killing both the pilot and copilot and injuring dozens of passengers and crew.
The crash shut down one of the busiest airports in the New York region until at least Monday afternoon and left more than 600 flights canceled by midday.
Two pilots killed after Air Canada Jet collides with Fire Truck at LaGuardia
The flight was operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal.
The fire truck was crossing the tarmac after receiving permission to check on a United Airlines flight that had reported an odor issue onboard. Air traffic control audio captured the controller frantically trying to warn the truck before impact.
Audio from Air Traffic Control when Air Canada plane collided with fire truck:
AP Audio: “Stop, stop, stop, Truck 1. Stop, stop, stop.” >>
It was not enough. The nose of the jet was crushed on impact. Images from the scene showed the fire truck flipped on its side with significant damage to its rear half. Cables and debris dangled from the mangled cockpit.
The two pilots, both based in Canada, were pronounced dead. About 40 passengers and crew members were taken to hospitals, some with serious injuries. Most were released by Monday morning. Both Port Authority employees in the fire truck survived with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Video shows Air Canada Flight AC8646 colliding with fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.
Roughly 20 minutes after the crash, the same air traffic controller can be heard on communications saying “I messed up.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with Canada also sending a team. The FAA has been chronically understaffed in its air traffic control division for years and the overnight shift at LaGuardia would have been lightly staffed at the time of the crash.
The airport does have an advanced surface surveillance system designed to track planes and vehicles on the runway and an alarm from that system was likely audible in the background of the control tower audio. The system flags potential collisions but does not account for whether clearance has already been given for a vehicle to cross.
There were 1,636 runway incursions in the United States last year according to FAA statistics.
Passenger Rebecca Liquori described the moment of impact to News12 Long Island. She said the plane hit turbulence on descent, braked hard, and then a loud boom. People flew out of their seats. Heads hit the overhead bins. There was blood. Liquori said she helped open the emergency exit and passengers slid down the wing to get out.
“I’m just happy to be alive. I would have never pictured a one-hour flight that I’ve done countless times ending like this.”
President Trump called it a terrible situation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called it deeply saddening. LaGuardia is expected to reopen as the investigation continues.
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