Late Sunday (March 22), an Air Canada jet struck a fire truck on a runway while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, officials said. Two people, the pilot and copilot, were killed after the nose of the aircraft was crushed, while 40 passengers and crew members were taken to the hospital. Some had serious injuries, but most have since been released from treatment, according to the Associated Press.
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How Did The Air Canada Jet & Fire Truck Collision Happen?
Port Authority said the fire truck was traveling across the runway to respond to a separate incident aboard a United Airlines flight. That pilot had reported “an issue with odor,” said Garcia. The executive director deferred additional questions about the sequence of events leading up to the crash to the NTSB.
Meanwhile, a radio transmission has already given some insight. In the moments before the crash, an air traffic controller could be heard giving clearance to a vehicle to cross part of the tarmac, then trying to stop it. “Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” the transmission says. The controller can then be heard frantically diverting an incoming aircraft from landing.
Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the aircraft’s front. Cables and debris were hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side. Also, the impact left the jet with its crumpled nose tilted upward.
In response, the stairways for passenger evacuation were moved to the aircraft’s emergency exits.
More Details About Injuries During LaGuardia Airport Accident
Two Port Authority employees who were traveling in the fire truck also suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said Kathryn Garcia. Garcia is the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.
The pilot and copilot were both based out of Canada, Garcia said during a news conference. Also, there were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the aircraft. It was a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to a statement from the airline. The flight took off from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal.
Air traffic controllers are not affected by the partial government shutdown, which has caused long delays at airport security checkpoints in recent days. They have been affected by past shutdowns.
Passenger Describes What Happened After Collision
LaGuardia Airport will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday to facilitate the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.
Arturo Davidson was on the tarmac Sunday night on a plane headed to Miami when the Air Canada jet and a fire truck collided. Fellow passengers witnessed the crash or its aftermath. Reactions rippled through the cabin, Davidson said. The passengers were soon told there had been an accident. About 20 minutes later, they were informed the airport was closing and they must return to the terminal, Davidson said on Monday.
“I don’t think we’re going at two,” he sighed, referring to the time Monday afternoon that officials gave as the earliest for reopening LaGuardia.
LaGuardia is a busy airport, ranking 19th out of over 500 airports in 2024. That year, 16.7 million passengers boarded at the New York airport, according to a 2025 FAA database. It opened to commercial traffic in 1939 and covers 680 acres, bordering Flushing and Bowery bays in Queens, NYC.
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Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz and Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
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