A regional jet operating as an Air Canada Express flight collided with an airport fire rescue vehicle while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, killing both pilots and injuring dozens in a runway accident that prompted the closure of the airport.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 registered as C-GNJZ and operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada, was arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members on Flight AC8646. Authorities said the collision occurred at around 11:40 p.m. local time as the jet struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that had entered the runway.
The captain and first officer were killed in the impact. A total of 41 people were taken to hospitals, including passengers, crew and two firefighters in the vehicle. Officials said several sustained serious injuries, while others were later discharged.
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Preliminary information indicates the fire vehicle had been cleared to cross the runway while responding to a separate incident involving a United Airlines flight that reported an odor onboard. Air traffic control audio suggests controllers attempted to halt the vehicle moments before the collision.
Data from flight tracking services indicates the aircraft was moving at approximately 24 mph (39 km/h) at the time of impact. Images from the scene show significant damage to the nose section of the jet, which came to rest tilted upward on the runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed investigators to the site, alongside the Federal Aviation Administration and local authorities. The focus is expected to center on runway access coordination and communications between ground vehicles and air traffic control.
Operations at LaGuardia were suspended following the accident and remained halted into Monday afternoon, triggering widespread disruption. More than 500 flights were canceled, with delays expected to ripple across the U.S. network.
The incident adds to mounting scrutiny of operational safety procedures at major U.S. airports, particularly regarding runway incursions involving ground vehicles and aircraft.
