Two pilots were killed and dozens of people injured after a passenger plane collided with a fire-rescue vehicle at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, officials confirmed.
Deadly Runway Collision
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the crash involved an Air Canada Express flight and an airport fire-rescue truck.
- The pilot and co-pilot were killed
- 41 people were hospitalized, including passengers and firefighters
- Several victims suffered serious injuries
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members.
Airport Shut Down, Flights Disrupted
Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop, temporarily shutting down operations at LaGuardia and causing widespread travel disruptions.
Possible Communication Breakdown
Preliminary information suggests the incident may have been an accident, with no signs of terrorism or foul play.
Early reports indicate:
- Air traffic control cleared the fire truck to cross the runway
- A subsequent instruction to stop may not have prevented the collision
- Controllers were handling another in-flight emergency at the same time
Audio recordings captured a controller acknowledging the situation, saying, “we were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up.”
Plane Severely Damaged
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 arriving from Montreal, had already landed and was slowing down when it struck the vehicle.
Images from the scene showed:
- Severe damage to the front of the plane
- The aircraft’s nose partially destroyed on the runway
Investigation Underway
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation.
Officials will examine:
- Air traffic control communications
- Radar and cockpit voice recordings
- Staffing and operational procedures
Experts say the probe could take 12 to 18 months to complete.