An Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck during landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of passengers. The fire truck was crossing the runway to respond to a separate emergency involving another aircraft.
A deadly runway collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport has left both pilots of an Air Canada Express flight dead after the aircraft struck a fire truck during landing, raising serious concerns over air traffic coordination and runway safety.
The incident involved a CRJ-900 aircraft operated by Jazz Aviation, which was arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members on board. The collision occurred late at night as the aircraft was landing on Runway 4.
Airport CCTV footage captured the exact moment of impact. The visuals show the fire truck and the aircraft moving on intersecting paths before colliding. The impact flipped the truck onto its side, while the plane continued to slide along the runway, trailing thick smoke.
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According to flight tracking data, the plane hit the vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kmph). 76 people were on board the flight, including four crew members, Jazz Aviation said in a statement.
Also Read: New York’s LaGuardia Airport Shut After Air Canada Plane Collides With Fire Truck (WATCH)
The airport resumed operations on a limited scale, with only one runway functioning as of 2 p.m. Eastern on Monday. By early evening, the other main runway at LaGuardia remained shut, as the wreckage of the Air Canada aircraft had yet to be cleared.
The fire truck was reportedly crossing the runway to respond to a separate emergency involving a United Airlines flight that had reported a “weird odour” onboard. In an audio exchange, the pilot of that aircraft said, “We have an odour on the plane… we are going to be going back to the gate and request fire as well.”
The situation escalated rapidly as air traffic control attempted to prevent the collision. Moments before impact, a controller can be heard urgently warning, “Frontier 4195, stop there, please. (Pause.) Stop, stop, stop, truck one, stop, stop, stop. Stop, truck one, stop! Stop, truck one, stop.”
An alarm then sounds.
“Jazz 646. Jazz 646, I see you collided with a vehicle. (Inaudible) Hold position. I know he can’t move. Vehicles are responding to you now.”
Shortly after, in what has become one of the more striking moments from the recording, a second controller can be heard saying, “Man, that wasn’t good to watch.” To which the first controller replied, “Yeah, I know. I was here. I tried to reach out to my staff. And we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.”
However, the warning came too late.
Also Read: La Guardia Airport Halts Operations After Air Canada Plane Collision
Visuals circulating on social media showed severe damage to the front of the aircraft, with the nose heavily impacted. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, evacuating passengers and transporting the injured to hospitals. Dozens sustained injuries, though many were later discharged after treatment.
The crash triggered a complete shutdown of LaGuardia Airport for several hours, disrupting hundreds of flights and causing widespread travel chaos across New York’s aviation network. Authorities issued ground stops, diverted flights, and urged passengers to check with airlines before heading to the airport.
Officials have confirmed that the fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway while responding to the earlier emergency, pointing to a possible breakdown in communication or procedural lapses. Investigators are now focusing on air traffic control decisions, runway clearance protocols, and coordination between ground vehicles and incoming aircraft.
Responding to the incident, US President Donald Trump called the crash “terrible,” saying, “They made a mistake. It’s a dangerous business.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered his condolences, describing the tragedy as “deeply saddening,” and said Canadian authorities are coordinating closely with their US counterparts in the investigation.
Also Read: LaGuardia Runway Crash: Pilot, Co-Pilot Killed, Flights Halted After Plane Hits Fire Truck