A LaGuardia runway collision late Sunday night has left two pilots dead and dozens injured after an Air Canada Express jet struck a Port Authority fire truck while landing at the Queens airport. The CRJ-900 aircraft, operating as Flight 8646 from Montreal, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members when it crashed into the emergency vehicle around 11:40 p.m.
The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the impact, which sheared off the nose of the plane and left a mangled fire truck overturned nearby. Forty-one passengers and crew were taken to area hospitals, with nine still hospitalized as of Monday morning. Some suffered serious injuries. Two Port Authority employees inside the fire truck were also hurt but are in stable condition.
The fire truck was crossing Runway 4 to respond to a separate emergency aboard a United Airlines flight, where pilots reported a strong odor in the cabin. Air traffic control audio captures the moment a controller cleared the vehicle to cross, then frantically tried to stop it.
“Truck 1 and company, cross Runway 4 at Delta,” the controller said initially. Seconds later came the urgent command: “Stop, Truck 1. Stop”. The controller can then be heard diverting incoming aircraft from the runway. Moments later, the collision occurred.
In the aftermath, the same controller closed the airport entirely: “LaGuardia Airport is closed at this time. No aircraft in or out”.
LaGuardia remains closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday as National Transportation Safety Board investigators comb the scene . More than 500 flights have been canceled, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of passengers at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
The crash adds to travel chaos already unfolding across U.S. airports during spring break, as a partial government shutdown has caused long security lines and TSA staffing shortages . Air traffic controllers are not directly affected by the current shutdown but have faced similar pressures during past funding lapses.
LaGuardia, the 19th busiest U.S. airport, serves nearly 900 flights daily and is a critical hub for domestic and regional travel . The collision occurred on Runway 4, one of the airport’s main runways. Officials have urged travelers to avoid the area and check with airlines before heading to the airport.
Jazz Aviation, which operated the flight on behalf of Air Canada, confirmed the passenger manifest and said it is cooperating with investigators. The NTSB is leading the probe, with Canadian authorities assisting . No arrests have been made, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
