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Published 11:44 23 Mar 2026 GMT
Three chilling words air traffic controller said after fire truck collided with plane as audio from different pilot released
A chilling admission has emerged following a deadly late-night collision between a passenger plane and a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Audio recordings captured in the moments after the crash reveal the air traffic controller saying three haunting words: “I messed up,” as the scale of the disaster became clear.
The Air Canada Express flight had just landed after departing Montréal at around 11:40PM when it struck a fire truck on the runway, leaving both the pilot and co-pilot dead and dozens injured.
Chaos on the runway moments before impact
Air traffic control audio has revealed the frantic final seconds before the collision, as the fire truck was cleared to cross Runway 4 while another aircraft was arriving.
In the recording, the controller urgently shouted: “Truck One, stop, stop, stop!”
Despite the warning, the aircraft collided with the vehicle at speed, causing severe damage to the nose of the plane and triggering an immediate emergency response.
Following the crash, the controller told the aircraft: “JAZZ 646, I see you collided with the vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can't move. Vehicles are responding to you now.”
Emotional exchange captured in aftermath audio
As the situation unfolded, another pilot flying a Frontier aircraft witnessed the incident and reacted over the radio, saying: “That wasn't good to watch.”
In a candid and emotional moment, the controller responded: “Yeah, I tried to reach out to them. We were dealing with an emergency, and I messed up.”
The Frontier pilot replied: “No, you did the best you could.”
Dozens injured as investigation begins
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. A total of 41 people were taken to the hospital, with 32 later released and nine remaining with serious injuries.
Two officers on board the fire truck were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after responding to reports of an odor on a separate United Airlines flight.
Authorities confirmed that emergency response protocols were immediately activated. A spokesperson said: “Emergency response protocols were immediately activated.
“The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency's Chairman and Executive Director.
“The Port Authority Police Department is working closely with our airline partners as well as federal authorities, and will provide additional updates as more details become available.”
The airport was shut down following the crash, with hundreds of flights canceled and major disruption expected as investigators examine air traffic control actions, communications, and runway procedures.
A full investigation is now underway, with aviation experts pointing to communication between the controller and ground crews as a key focus.