Two Pilots Killed in LaGuardia Runway Collision Between Air Canada Jet, Fire Truck

NEW YORK — Two pilots were killed and dozens injured when an Air Canada Express flight collided with a Port Authority fire truck during landing at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026.

Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation LP, struck the emergency vehicle on Runway 4 at approximately 11:40 p.m. while landing from Montreal. The collision killed both the pilot and co-pilot, while injuring passengers, flight crew and two Port Authority first responders.

The National Transportation Safety Board has identified multiple system failures that contributed to the accident. A runway safety system failed to sound an alarm before impact, eliminating a critical collision warning. Air traffic controllers cleared the fire truck to cross Runway 4 just 12-30 seconds before touchdown, according to cockpit voice recorder data. The fire truck lacked a functioning transponder, leaving controllers with only a generic radar blip rather than specific identification data. Additionally, only two air traffic controllers were on duty during the overnight shift, raising questions about adequate staffing levels at one of the nation's busiest airports.

The NTSB is leading the investigation with assistance from Canadian authorities. Investigators have recovered the aircraft's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, though some witness accounts remain conflicting. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about air traffic control safety, following warnings from aviation experts in 2023 about the inevitability of such accidents due to ATC staffing shortages.