LaGuardia Airport: Air Canada Jet Collides with Fire Truck on Runway, Two Pilots Killed

Two pilots were killed and dozens were injured when an Air Canada regional jet collided with a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City late Sunday night. The incident forced the complete shutdown of New York's second-busiest airport.

What Happened

Air Canada Flight AC8646, a CRJ-900 aircraft operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members. At approximately 11:40 PM, as the aircraft was landing, it struck a Port Authority fire truck that was on the runway responding to a separate incident involving a United Airlines flight that had reported an odor on board. Preliminary analysis indicates the plane hit the truck at over 100 mph.

Casualties

• Killed: Both the pilot and first officer died in the collision
• Passengers: 41 passengers were transported to area hospitals
• Firefighters: Two firefighters in the truck were also injured

Airport Closure

All flights into and out of LaGuardia were canceled until 2 PM the following day. Hundreds of flights were affected across the region.

Investigation

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. Key questions center on air traffic control coordination and why the fire truck was cleared to be on the active runway during an incoming landing. Air traffic control audio recordings are being examined.