Air Canada Express Jet Hits Fire Truck at LaGuardia, Killing 2 Pilots

NEW YORK — A fatal collision occurred March 22, 2026, when an Air Canada Express flight struck a fire truck during landing at New York-LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots and injuring 41 others.

Incident Details Air Canada Express Flight AC8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900LR (registration C-GNJZ, operated by Jazz Aviation), collided with an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck while landing on Runway 4 around 11:45-11:47 p.m. ET. The aircraft was arriving from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

According to initial reports, the fire truck had been cleared to cross Runway 4 at taxiway Delta after responding to a separate United Airlines aircraft's aborted takeoff due to an odor issue. Air traffic control urgently ordered the truck to stop just before the head-on impact.

Casualties and Damage Both pilots died on impact, and the aircraft was destroyed. A total of 41 people were injured: 39 passengers and crew members, and two firefighters who sustained serious injuries including broken bones. As of the latest updates, 32 of the injured were released from hospitals.

Airport Operations LaGuardia Airport closed until 2:00 p.m. ET March 23. Full operations resumed slowly on one runway, though Runway 4 remained closed until 7:00 a.m. ET March 27.

Investigation The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the sequence of events and clearance procedures, with FAA investigators assisting.

Official Statements

• Port Authority Director Kathryn Garcia: Confirmed the fatalities and noted this marks the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in 30 years.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: Confirmed 72 passengers plus 4 crew members aboard.
• FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford: Called the incident "an absolute tragedy."
• Air Canada: Established a helpline (1-800-961-7099) for affected families.

This marks a rare fatal accident at one of the nation's busiest airports, with investigators focusing on runway clearance procedures.