Additional Coverage:
- ‘Stop, stop, stop’: Audio captures final moments before Air Canada plane-truck collision at LaGuardia (businessinsider.com)
Two Pilots Die, Dozens Injured After Air Canada Plane Collides With Fire Truck at LaGuardia
NEW YORK, NY – A devastating incident unfolded Sunday night at LaGuardia Airport when an Air Canada plane, operated by regional carrier Jazz Aviation, collided with a fire truck on a runway, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and sending dozens of passengers to the hospital.
The Bombardier CRJ-900 airliner, carrying 39 passengers, struck a fire vehicle responding to an odor reported on a separate United Airlines flight. The New York Port Authority confirmed that the two pilots on the airliner died in the collision, while 39 passengers were transported to local hospitals, though many have since been released.
Audio recordings from air traffic control (ATC) shed light on the critical moments leading up to the crash. The CRJ-900 had been cleared to land on Runway 4. Shortly after, at approximately 11:37 p.m. local time, the air traffic controller reportedly gave clearance for the fire vehicle to cross the very same active runway.
Seconds later, the controller’s voice can be heard escalating in urgency, frantically yelling, “Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop… Stop truck 1. Stop!”
The collision occurred shortly thereafter. The controller then immediately instructed another inbound aircraft to abort its landing on Runway 4.
Following the impact, the controller contacted the Air Canada pilots, stating, “Jazz 646, Jazz 646, I see you collided with a vehicle there, just hold position, I know you can’t move. Vehicles are responding to you now.” Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the plane’s deceleration was gradual until the collision, at which point its speed abruptly decreased, and it veered off course.
In the aftermath, other personnel on the airfield inquired about the runway’s status. The controller confirmed that Runway 4/22 was closed and began rerouting other air traffic.
Approximately 20 minutes after the collision, on a separate frequency, a colleague offered comfort to the controller, who admitted, “I messed up.” The colleague responded, “Nah, man, you did the best you could.”
LaGuardia Airport was subsequently closed until at least 2 p.m. ET on Monday, with photos revealing the CRJ’s cockpit tilted and crushed. The incident led to the diversion of about 20 flights bound for LaGuardia and the cancellation of approximately 600 flights on Monday morning.
Aviation safety analysts have repeatedly voiced concerns regarding runway collisions and congested airspace, citing factors such as air traffic control shortages, outdated technology, and increasing flight volumes. This incident follows a near-miss just a week prior, on March 17, at nearby Newark Liberty International Airport, where an Alaska Airlines plane and a FedEx cargo plane nearly collided on crossing runways. A past incident involving an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in January 2025 resulted in 67 fatalities.