The two pilots killed in the collision between a passenger jet and a Port Authority fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night have been named as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther.
The pair have yet to be officially named by authorities, but Canadian news reports and a former college of one of the pilots confirmed the deaths. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed Monday that they had died and were based in Canada.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are investigating the crash. They will seek to determine how the truck was able to cut across the jet’s path moments after it landed.
Here's what we know about the fatal crash.
The two pilots who were killed saved lives
The pilots, who were killed, have been credited with saving the lives of the 72 passengers and the two surviving crew members on the plane Sunday night, by quickly braking and minimizing the impact as it crashed into the truck while landing at LGA.
More than 40 people were taken for treatment for mostly minor injuries and most were soon released, although some remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
Forest was widely named in Canadian news media, and a family member who asked to remain anonymous confirmed his death to NBC News.
A LinkedIn profile bearing his name lists him as a pilot based in the Greater Montreal area working for Jazz Aviation, the company that operated Flight 8646 on behalf of Air Canada.
Forest's hometown, the small city of Coteau-du-Lac in southwestern Quebec, paid tribute to the pilot and offered condolences to his family, according to Canadian broadcaster TVA Nouvelles.
Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto confirmed that former student Gunther, who was the flight's first officer, died in the crash. The college said he graduated with a degree in aviation technology in 2023 and joined Jazz through a graduate scheme.
"Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors. He will be deeply missed," Seneca said in its notice, adding that it would make counseling services available to its students.
The Port Authority Sergeants Benevolent Association said a sergeant assigned to the airport rescue firefighters detail was driving the truck and a Port Authority police officer was in the passenger’s seat. They were both injured in the collision.
“While we cannot comment on any further details pending the ongoing NTSB investigation, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the two pilots who were killed,” the association said in a statement.
'The loudest boom I've ever heard'
One passenger on the Jazz Aviation flight told NBC News that she was snoozing on the plane when she was awoken by a flight attendant’s announcement.
“If this flight has an emergency landing, don’t take your luggage with you. Just exit quickly,” Rebecca Liquori recalled hearing. She described a rough descent and then the crash shortly after the plane touched down.
“It was like a grinding sound. Then, a couple seconds after that, you just felt the collision,” she said. “It was like the loudest boom I’ve ever heard.”
But it still isn't exactly clear how the crash occurred.
Photos from after the crash show the plane wreck. The nose of the aircraft appeared torn off, leaving mangled parts of the front of the plane dangling toward the ground.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the investigation will span the aircraft's operations, examine components of the plane and the flight control system, and analyze the accident scene, air traffic control and airport operations.
Aviation experts have said investigators will examine the possibility of radio failures, failed runway crossing procedures and human error, among other factors, to determine what went wrong.
John Cox, a former airline pilot and an NBC News aviation analyst, said the ability to move an airplane after it landed “is very limited.” He said among the things investigators will look at is how quickly the pilots tried to stop the aircraft.
“If something pulls out in front of you, you can brake hard, and that’s about all you can do,” he said. “There’s very limited steering available. There is some, but very limited.”
Rick Pelowski, a former journeyman air traffic controller and air traffic manager, said once a plane is cleared to land, the pilot expects the runway to be clear.
“There’s no question he has the priority. He owns the runway, regardless of whatever else is going on,” he said. “Once he’s cleared to land, that’s his runway.”
Air traffic control audio recordings released by LiveATC appear to show a controller giving the truck the go-ahead to cross the runway, but soon afterward, a controller says, “Truck 1, stop.” After the collision, an air traffic controller is heard on the audio saying, “I messed up.”
It was the first fatal crash at the New York airport in more than 30 years, officials said Monday.
