Air Canada Express Flight Collides with Fire Truck at LaGuardia Airport, Resulting in Two Fatalities
An Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, leading to the deaths of both pilots and injuries to several others.
An Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and injuries to several others. The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal when it struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on the runway.
The collision occurred around 11:38 p.m. as the aircraft was landing on runway 4. The fire truck was responding to a separate incident involving another aircraft when the crash happened.
Approximately 41 passengers and crew members were hospitalized, with 32 subsequently released. Two officers in the fire truck sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop at LaGuardia Airport, leading to its closure until at least 2 p.m. Monday. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into the incident.
Air traffic control recordings revealed that controllers attempted to halt the fire truck moments before the crash.
LaGuardia Airport, one of New York City's major airports, handles nearly 900 departures and arrivals daily.
Air Canada Express Flight 8646 was operated by Jazz Aviation, Canada's largest regional airline, serving 70 destinations across Canada and the United States.