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Published 09:54 23 Mar 2026 GMT
Multiple people dead and others seriously injured after plane collides with fire truck at LaGuardia airport
An Air Canada Express flight turned into a nightmare at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night when a regional jet collided with a rescue truck on the runway.
The Bombardier CRJ-900, operated by Jazz Aviation, had just arrived from Montreal when it struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue Firefighting vehicle shortly before 11:40PM.
According to The Independent, the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash, while at least 40 people were taken to nearby hospitals, including passengers and two Port Authority police officers who suffered broken bones but are expected to survive.
Chaos Unfolds On The Runway
Per officials and flight data, the plane was rolling down the runway at around 24 mph when it slammed into the truck, which had been cleared to cross Runway 4 while responding to a separate incident.
Air traffic control audio captured the tense moments leading up to the crash, with a controller repeatedly shouting for "Truck 1" to stop before impact.
The truck had been dispatched to assist a United Airlines flight that had aborted takeoff due to an anti-ice warning, with crew reporting an odor in the cockpit and flight attendants feeling unwell, per CBS News.
"At approximately 11.40pm on Sunday, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada was involved in an incident on Runway 4 at LaGuardia airport in which the aircraft struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident," the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement.
Survivors of The Crash
Among the survivors was a female flight attendant who was ejected "through the front" of the plane while still strapped into her seat.
She survived the ordeal and was rushed to the hospital after being rescued by Port Authority officers.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members on board, many of whom were believed to be Orthodox Jews from the New York area, according to The New York Post.
Their conditions are still being evaluated, with over a dozen people reported to have suffered various injuries.
The crash triggered a full shutdown of LaGuardia Airport, initially until 2PM on Monday, though disruptions extended longer with more than 400 flights canceled.
The airport, which handles around 900 daily flights and served over 30 million passengers in 2025, saw incoming flights diverted and departures halted.
"The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency’s Chairman and Executive Director. The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation," the Port Authority Police Department said.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop, warning of extended disruption, and New York City’s emergency alert system warned travelers about delays, road closures, and heavy emergency activity around the airport.
"The NTSB is launching a go team to investigate the March 22 incident involving Jazz Aviation, Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a CRJ-900, that collided with a fire truck on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in New York, NY. Chair Jennifer Homendy will serve as the on-scene spokesperson, accompanied by Member John DeLeeuw. The investigative team is expected to arrive today. Follow @NTSB_Newsroom for updates," officials said.