An Air Canada Express regional flight arriving from Montreal collided with a Port Authority fire truck on a LaGuardia Airport runway, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and numerous injuries among passengers and crew, officials reported on Monday.
The CRJ-900 aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 76 individuals when the collision occurred. The crew consisted of the captain, first officer, and two flight attendants.
While the pilot and co-pilot lost their lives in the incident, over 39 passengers and crew members, along with two Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting officers, were hospitalized. Reports indicate that at least 32 individuals have been released from care, though some sustained serious injuries, according to Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia.
One witness described a chaotic scene following the impact. Jack Cabot recounted, “As we were arriving, we came down really hard. We stopped really quickly and about two seconds later we had an absolute slam. Everybody was flying everywhere, I mean, the plane started veering off left and right. And there was, it was just chaos.”
Update: 2 PILOTS KILLED, @PANYNJ CFR ARFF FIREFIGHTERS NLT INJURIES. #Laguardia #airplane #firefighters #crash 🙏 pic.twitter.com/fwXodKLbSg
— FirefighterCloseCall (@TheSecretList) March 23, 2026
Cabot noted the pilot’s decisive actions, stating, “It didn’t feel like anyone was in control of anything. Looking back on it, the pilot did the best thing he could. He hit the brakes as hard as he could and he knew it was going to be at the cost of his own life.”
Many passengers sustained head injuries during the event, prompting Cabot to express concern, stating, “A lot of people got pretty hurt.” The National Transportation Safety Board along with the Federal Aviation Administration have launched an investigation into the incident. A ground stop was issued for LaGuardia Airport, which remained closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday.
Local leaders expressed their shock and concern as details emerged about how an emergency vehicle ended up on the runway. New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the incident “heartbreaking” and expressed condolences to the victims and their families.
An Air Canada plane collided with a Port Authority vehicle after landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, killing the pilot and co-pilot.
Nine people face significant injuries, including a flight attendant, Port Authority officials said.
LaGuardia Airport is closed until… pic.twitter.com/Qg6D299T4T
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) March 23, 2026
Mayor Zohran Mamdani assured that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating and commended first responders for their life-saving efforts. City Comptroller Mark Levin labeled the crash as “horrific,” emphasizing the need to understand how such failures occurred.
The incident occurred simultaneously as Newark Liberty International Airport briefly paused operations following air traffic controller alerts about a burning smell from an elevator, leading to a temporary ground stop.
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