Accident Avion Air Canada: LaGuardia Closed After CRJ-900 Collides With Port Authority Fire Truck
accident avion air canada unfolded when a CRJ-900 operating as Air Canada Express struck a Port Authority fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport at 11: 38 PM ET on March 23, 2026. The aircraft, flight AC8646 from Montreal operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. LaGuardia is closed as emergency teams conduct rescues and begin a formal investigation.
Accident Avion Air Canada: Flight and passenger details
The jet involved was a Bombardier CRJ-900 on scheduled service AC8646 from Montreal. The aircraft came to rest on runway 4 after making contact with a Port Authority emergency vehicle that was on the runway responding to another aircraft’s request for assistance just before midnight. The flight manifest lists 72 passengers and four crew on board. Initial action by airport and federal aviation officials has included a full closure of the field to allow rescue operations and investigative work to proceed.
At 11: 38 PM ET on March 23, 2026, emergency responders converged on the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration announced an airport closure citing an ongoing emergency and warned that the shutdown would likely be prolonged. Port Authority emergency alerts warned the public to expect flight cancellations, road closures, traffic slowdowns and the presence of emergency personnel near the Queens airport that serves U. S. and Canadian destinations.
Immediate reactions
Kathryn Garcia, Port Authority official, addressed the situation in a press briefing early Monday and provided the most detailed health toll made public so far: “Forty-one people have been hospitalized; some are seriously injured, ” Garcia said. She confirmed that emergency services remain on site and that the Port Authority is coordinating with federal investigators and local hospitals.
New York firefighting crews were dispatched after initial alerts that an aircraft had struck a vehicle on runway 4. The closure and concentrated emergency response are intended to “facilitate rescue operations and the setting up of an in-depth investigation, ” airport officials stated as they cleared the field for first responders.
What’s next
Investigators from federal aviation authorities and the Port Authority will secure the aircraft and vehicle, interview witnesses and review radar and communications records as part of a formal inquiry. LaGuardia will remain closed until at least 2: 00 PM ET on March 24, 2026 to allow work on the ground to continue and to preserve the scene for investigators. Travelers should expect widespread cancellations and significant delays while the closure remains in effect.
Emergency teams and investigators will provide updates as they complete on-site work; the public and affected passengers are being directed to follow official Port Authority communications for confirmed instructions and reunification procedures. The accident avion air canada remains under active investigation and authorities say the priority is care for the injured and a thorough, transparent inquiry into how the collision occurred.
