Airplane Crash LaGuardia Airport: Two Pilots Killed as Air Canada Jet Hits Fire Truck on Runway 4
An airplane crash at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night killed both pilots of an Air Canada Express regional jet after the aircraft struck a Port Authority fire truck on Runway 4 during landing. The laguardia airport crash has shut down LGA, injured dozens of passengers, and launched a sweeping federal investigation that is unfolding Monday morning.
Air Canada Plane Crash LaGuardia Airport: What Happened
Around 11:40 p.m. ET Sunday, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident. Emergency response protocols were immediately activated, and LaGuardia Airport was closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation. The plane was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members.
Preliminary data shows the Air Canada plane was traveling between 93 and 105 mph at the moment it impacted the fire truck, FlightRadar24 told ABC News. The collision demolished the front of the airplane and killed the two pilots aboard the Air Canada Express CRJ-900.
Airplane Crash LaGuardia: The Deadly Toll on Pilots and Passengers
The pilot and co-pilot were killed when the passenger jet struck the Port Authority vehicle at LaGuardia Airport. Forty-one people were injured in the collision and treated at local hospitals. Of those, 32 have been released, though some remain seriously injured.
Two sources familiar with the matter said the plane struck the middle of the fire truck, causing the officers seated up front to be thrown from the truck but enabling them to survive. The nose of the plane was low at impact, so the pilots caught the full force of the collision. The NYC medical examiner is now handling the deaths of both pilots.
The identities of the two pilots have not yet been released to the public. Air Line Pilots Association president Capt. Jason Ambrosi called the loss a "profound tragedy," saying the pilots dedicated their careers to the safe transport of passengers.
La Guardia Airport Crash: How the Fire Truck Ended Up on the Runway
The laguardia collision happened as air traffic control was simultaneously responding to a separate incident where pilots of United Airlines Flight 2384 aborted their takeoff when an anti-ice warning light came on. They reported an odor in the cabin that had sickened the flight attendants, and declared an emergency when no gates were immediately available.
To get from the airport fire station to the United plane, the fire truck was granted permission to cross the runway where the Air Canada plane was landing, according to air traffic control audio. Seconds later, a controller urgently ordered the truck to stop, before reporting there had been a collision on the field. "Truck One, stop, stop, stop!" the controller is heard saying, before addressing the plane: "JAZZ 646, I see you collided with the vehicle. Just hold position."
A preliminary review by emergency responders showed the plane had received clearance to land, and the fire truck also had clearance to cross the runway — a critical detail investigators are now examining as the central breakdown in the lga accident.
Plane Crash LaGuardia: Passenger Accounts From Inside the Aircraft
Passengers on board the Air Canada flight from Montreal described the terrifying moment of the laguardia plane crash. One passenger described seeing a fellow traveler several rows back trying to find his glasses after the impact, his nose completely broken and bleeding. "A lot of people smacked their head against the seat in front of them," the passenger said.
A flight attendant was found by Port Authority Police outside the Air Canada flight still strapped into her jumpseat. Responders were able to open the rear exit once it was confirmed the engines were off, and passengers were safely escorted from the plane. An unaccompanied minor on board was later reunited with their family.
LGA Closed: 573 Flights Canceled, Travelers Stranded at New York Airport
At least 573 flights into or out of LaGuardia Airport were canceled Monday, according to FlightAware. Many of those were operated by Delta Airlines, for which LaGuardia is a major hub. Delta said it will automatically rebook affected passengers to the next best itinerary and that additional schedule adjustments are possible if the lga airport closure extends beyond 2 p.m. ET.
Travel disruption across the New York region worsened further Monday after a brief ground stop was issued at Newark Liberty International Airport following an FAA tower evacuation due to smoke in an elevator — leaving two of the three main New York-area airports not fully operational simultaneously.
NTSB Investigation Into the Airplane Crash at LaGuardia Airport Begins
The NTSB launched a go team to investigate the plane crash at LaGuardia Airport. Former NTSB chair Robert Sumwalt said investigators will review air traffic control tapes, radar tapes, and the cockpit voice recorder from the airplane, conduct witness interviews, and interview the controllers. He estimated the investigation will take between 12 and 18 months.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the FAA and NTSB are working closely on the investigation and said his office is examining whether air traffic control staffing levels played any role in the lga crash. ATC towers have been understaffed nationally for months, a factor that has triggered widespread delays and cancellations at airports across the country.
President Trump, speaking to reporters Monday morning before boarding Air Force One, commented briefly on the new york plane crash: "They made a mistake. It's a dangerous business. That's terrible." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the collision "deeply saddening," adding that Canadian officials are working closely with U.S. counterparts as the investigation into the air canada laguardia crash continues.
