Air Canada Flight Collides with Vehicle at LaGuardia Airport
Two pilots were killed and dozens injured late Sunday when an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on a runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, officials said. The incident forced the closure of the airport and prompted a wide-ranging investigation.
The collision occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. On Sunday, involving Jazz Aviation flight 8646, operating on behalf of Air Canada, as it was landing on Runway 4, according to a statement from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The aircraft, arriving from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, struck the Port Authority vehicle, which was responding to a separate, unrelated incident involving a reported odor on a United Airlines flight.
Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority, confirmed the deaths of the two pilots during a news briefing. Forty-one people were transported to local hospitals, with 32 subsequently released, though some remain hospitalized with serious injuries, Garcia added. Two Port Authority employees traveling in the firetruck also sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The impact caused significant damage to the Air Canada Express CRJ-900 aircraft, leaving the front nose crushed and pointing upward, while the rear section settled onto the runway, according to images and videos circulating on social media. Bystander footage showed the jet illuminated by emergency lights, surrounded by first responders.
Jazz Aviation confirmed the accident in a statement, noting a preliminary passenger list indicated 72 passengers and four crew members were aboard, though this remains subject to final confirmation. The airline is cooperating with authorities in the ongoing investigation.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft was traveling at approximately 24 miles per hour at the time of impact. An air traffic controller was heard on radio transmission attempting to halt a vehicle’s movement on the tarmac moments before the collision, according to reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily halted operations at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Monday morning due to a burning smell emanating from an elevator in the air traffic control tower, adding to the disruption of air travel in the region. LaGuardia Airport is expected to remain closed until at least 2 p.m. On Monday, with the possibility of an extended closure as investigators continue their work.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated his office is investigating whether staffing levels within air traffic control contributed to the incident, noting that ATC towers have been understaffed for months nationally.