NTSB Details Air Canada Flight 8646 Collision at LaGuardia Airport

NTSB Releases Preliminary Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board has released preliminary report DCA26MA161 detailing the March 22, 2026, collision between Air Canada Flight 8646 and an airport rescue and firefighting vehicle at LaGuardia Airport. The Jazz Aviation-operated Bombardier CRJ-900, arriving from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, struck the ARFF truck on the runway at approximately 11:37 p.m., killing both flight crew members.

The collision resulted in 39 hospitalizations, including six serious injuries and 33 minor injuries among the 72 passengers, two flight attendants and ground personnel. The aircraft struck the truck at an estimated 100 mph despite the captain's application of brakes, reverse thrust and a 6-degree rudder deflection during a final evasive maneuver.

Human Factors Cited in Preliminary Analysis

The NTSB describes the accident as a "human factors" event involving multiple missed warnings. Air traffic control had cleared seven ground vehicles across the runway less than half a mile from the approaching aircraft under wet runway conditions. The Airport Surface Detection Equipment failed to alert ground crews because most fire trucks lacked powered transponders at the time of the incident. Runway lights were extinguished seconds before impact, and preliminary analysis suggests "imminently avoidable" errors in communication and timing. The investigation remains ongoing, with no final cause determination yet assigned.