Flights resume after 2 dead, dozens injured in Air Canada crash at LaGuardia

Emergency crews respond to the Air Canada Express plane on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport after the collision with a fire truck. Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Air Canada Express Flight 8646 and a fire truck collided on LaGuardia’s Runway 4 at around 11:45 p.m. yesterday, killing the two pilots and injuring about 40 people on board and two people in the truck, authorities say.

Officials haven’t released the identities of the two pilots who died yesterday, but passenger Rebecca Liquori said she felt them brake to try to slow the plane down ahead of the crash, protecting the 72 passengers and four crew members as much as they could.

“I’m just so appreciative that they were able to save us, but I’m just so sad that they weren’t able to make it home to their families,” she said, her voice breaking. “I wouldn’t be here had it not been for the pilot acting quickly.”

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NTSB says flight data recorder was recovered from plane after collision at LaGuardia

01:45

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the cockpit voice and flight data recorders were recovered from the plane. Homendy said a safety walkthrough had been done to ensure that investigators would be safe examining the wreckage. 

The NTSB has asked the Federal Aviation Administration for an Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) replay of the event, Homendy said.

She said the data will look into what the display provided to the air traffic control tower at the time.

“We will be looking at that — where we can see where the aircraft was at certain times and whether the truck was visible on ASDE,” she said. 

ASDE, the surveillance system air traffic controllers use to track the movements of aircraft and vehicles on runways, is critical to reducing incursions, according to the FAA. It's equipped with alarms to alert about potential incursions or incidents.

“We’ll also be getting an ASDE analysis from the FAA tech center that will provide us information on whether alerts were generated and other data, including distance of the aircraft that was landing on Runway Four as the firefighting vehicle was approaching the runway from taxiway Delta,” Homendy said.

The NTSB is verifying the preliminary information about staffing in the air traffic control tower at the time of the crash before it shares it publicly, Homendy said.

The information could be released tomorrow, she said. Information about the backgrounds of the pilot and the co-pilot could be released tomorrow, as well, she said.

“We have to look at records. There are sign-in sheets. We have to do interviews. We have to look at time cards,” she said. “That is information we always have to corroborate.”

Earlier today, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was asked about viral rumors that only one air traffic controller was working in the tower at the time of the accident. “That’s not accurate," he responded.

The investigation will span the operations of the aircraft, examine components of the plane and the flight control system and analyze the accident scene, air traffic control and airport operations, Homendy said.

She said investigators are continuing to collect video.

The NTSB today has done a walking inspection of the scene and appointed a site commander, Homendy told reporters.

“There is a tremendous, tremendous amount of debris" that poses an injury risk, she said, calling the scene “pretty expansive.”

She said in order to get to the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, Port Authority and emergency responders cut a hole in the roof of the aircraft and dropped down to secure both. Those were taken back to labs in Washington D.C. today. 

“They’ve been able to at least verify that the cockpit voice recorder was not damaged,” she said. 

NTSB says flight data recorder was recovered from plane after collision at LaGuardia

01:45

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference tonight that there have been challenges getting investigators to the scene, given long security lines at airports and the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

The NTSB expects to have 25 specialists at the scene, and team members began to arrive at 3:10 a.m., but some remain en route.

"We have one of our air traffic control specialists who was in line with TSA for three hours until we called in Houston to beg to see if we can get her through so we can get her here. So it’s been a really, really big challenge to get the entire team here, and they’re still arriving as I speak," Homendy said.

The deadly collision is the first fatal crash at LaGuardia Airport in over three decades, officials said today.

"The Port Authority takes great pride in being able to work with all of our partners to deliver safety for the flying public, and it has been over 34 years since we had had an incident with a death at the airport," Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani assured New Yorkers that the investigation will be thorough.

"I know that this crash has shaken New Yorkers across the five boroughs, whether they are traveling today or simply watching from home, especially since it’s the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in more than 30 years," he said at the news conference at LaGuardia.

"I want New Yorkers to know that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of this accident and that we will not rest until the conclusion of that investigation," he said. 

The Port Authority vehicle that collided with the Air Canada plane was carrying two people, and both are expected to be released from the hospital soon, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia told reporters. 

The Port Authority later identified the men as Sgt. Michael Orsillo and Officer Adrian Baez.

"Both were taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital," Garcia said at the news conference today. "We expect one to be released later this afternoon and the other to be kept overnight for observation."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he has been asking Congress “for additional money” for air traffic control.

"We’ve been modernizing our system, but we can’t fully modernize it until the Congress gives us the additional money," he said at a news conference at LaGuardia today with officials to provide a brief update on the crash.

"It’s not a partisan issue, both Democrats and Republicans agree, but they have to have the will to finish the funding," he said.

He continued: "I’m not saying the crash would have been prevented if we had all the equipment deployed, but it’s important, if we care about air travel safety, we care about having a brand new air traffic control system, the best in the world, with the best equipment virtually all of it developed here in America."

LaGuardia remains at reduced capacity after collision, Transportation Secretary Duffy says 

03:15

Video captures the fatal crash between an Air Canada plane and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport. The collision left two pilots dead and dozens injured.

00:17

An image posted by the National Transportation Safety Board shows investigators inspecting the crashed Air Canada jet at the site of the collision on the LaGuardia runway.

LaGuardia Airport reopened a single runway at 2 p.m. ET, but warned travelers to expect delays and cancelations.

The first plane to take off since the airport's closure after the fatal collision of an Air Canada jet with a vehicle on a runway was spotted by NBC News departing at around 2:08 p.m. ET.

One runway reopens at LaGuardia Airport after fatal collision 

03:04

Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rousseau said he knows that people have a lot of questions, “but at this early stage, we do not have all the answers as the circumstances are still being assessed.”

Rousseau said in a video statement that 72 passengers and four crew members were on the plane. The pilot and co-pilot were killed. He said officials are working to confirm the number of injuries and “if there are any other fatalities.”

“Today is a very somber day at Air Canada,” he said. “First and most importantly, I want to express our deepest sorrow for everyone affected.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that LaGuardia Airport plans to open a single runway today at 2 p.m. ET.

Authorities had been pushing for the airport to reopen this afternoon following the crash of an Air Canada plane into a vehicle on the runway. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia warned that it could take longer.

The FAA did not specify when the rest of the runways might open. LaGuardia said in a statement on social media that it is "on track to reopen at 2 pm."

"As operations resume, travelers should expect residual delays and cancellations,' the statement said. "Travelers are strongly encouraged to check with their carrier before departing for the airport.

“My heart goes out to the families of the two pilots, Canadian pilots. Certainly a very tragic outcome," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a news conference today.

Hochul said "dozens" of people were injured, some seriously, in yesterday's collision.

Hochul said she’s been fully briefed on the incident and has been in contact with officials, including that she "left a message" for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

A woman recalled the moment her daughter told her that the Air Canada plane she was on had crashed.

“She just said, ‘Mom, you know, the plane crashed.’ And I just couldn’t believe that the plane crashed," the woman told NBC New York. "But she said, ‘Can you come here?’”

The woman said she texted a friend, who said he was thankful the collision wasn’t a “bigger devastation.”

“When I get her in my arms, I’ll be a much happier mom," the woman said, getting emotional. "That’s what I have to say right now.”

At a news conference this morning, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia suggested that LaGuardia Airport could be closed beyond 2 p.m. following the crash.

"That is the earliest it could open," she said. She did not offer an updated timeline.

Travelers wait at Terminal B in LaGuardia Airport today. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority, said at a press conference this morning that there was an unaccompanied minor on the flight that crashed earlier today.

That minor has since been reunited with their family, she said.

Asked what the procedure plan typically is when there are multiple vehicles on an airport's tarmac, Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority — the agency that operates LaGuardia — said the procedure "always is in deference to the control tower."

While Garcia did not specifically point a finger at ATC during the press conference this morning, she told reporters that those workers make the calls for which vehicles can move and when.

She said that "anytime anyone is moving on any of our runways or taxiways, they have to get clearance from the tower to move."

Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, said Canadian officials are working with the U.S. as the investigation into yesterday’s collision continues.

He said the crash of the Air Canada plane was “deeply saddening.”

“My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted,” he wrote in a post on X.

The Air Canada Express plane on the runway today. Timothy A. Clary / AFP - Getty Images

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is on the way to LGA " in response to last night’s horrific crash."

Duffy said on X that the FAA and NTSB are "working closely on this" and that he will share updates when possible.

"Please keep the victims, families and response teams in your prayers," Duffy wrote.

He also attached a photo of the wreckage to the post.

05:39

Two pilots were killed and 41 passengers injured after an Air Canada regional jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck upon landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The major national airport temporarily shut down and several agencies are investigating how the rare runway crash could have happened. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his office is looking into whether air traffic control staffing was an issue in this incident.

Nationally, ATC towers have been understaffed for months. Staffing levels got so low during the last government shutdown that delays and cancellations were running rampant, and those who did work through the shutdown missed pay day.

Air traffic control audio reveals the moments after an Air Canada jet collided with a Port Authority vehicle responding to an issue at LaGuardia Airport, with the controller saying he “messed up.”

In the audio released by LiveATC, one controller says after the crash that “wasn’t good to watch.”

“Yeah, I know I was here,” another controller responds. “I tried to reach out … we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.”

“Nah, man, you did the best you could,” the other controller says.

The president of the Association of Flight Attendants has offered the union's support to those affected by the fatal collision between an Air Canada flight and a Port Authority fire truck last night.

"Our hearts are with the crew, passengers, and their families on Air Canada Jazz flight 8646," Sara Nelson wrote on X. She said her thoughts were especially with members of the sister union the Air Lines Pilot Association.

The group represents 55,000 staff at 20 airlines.

Newark has a ground stop in place after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell coming from an elevator at around 7:30 a.m., according to the FAA.

The FAA says it is investigating and that all arrivals and departures at Newark are paused.

It was not immediately clear when the airport will resume normal operations. The FAA said the tower is in the process of being restaffed.

This marks the second of three major airports in the New York City area that is not operational this morning.

"Heartbreaking news out of LaGuardia this morning," said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who took to X this morning to share the news that two pilots were killed and dozens of others were "injured in this tragedy."

"Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected," Hochul wrote. She said her office will share updates as they are available.

Alyssa Benaventi was headed to Kansas City, Missouri, and arrived at LaGuardia this morning, only to find out her flight had been canceled and the airport had been shuttered.

"All the exits to get to the airport were closed, so we walked into the airport and we weren't allowed in," she told NBC News. “There was just a lot of confused other passengers,” she said.

Alyssa Benaventi. Carolina Gonzalez / NBC News

Benaventi has since booked another flight out of Philadelphia and rented a car to get to the airport about 120 miles away.

The Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement on X this morning.

"Our prayers this morning are with the families impacted by the ground collision at LaGuardia," he wrote. "We will continue to work closely with the NTSB and share additional updates as soon as possible."

An image shared on X by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, alongside his post about the crash.  via @SecDuffy/X

A flight attendant was found by Port Authority Police outside the Air Canada flight after it collided late last night, still strapped into her jumpseat, two sources briefed on the matter have told NBC News.

One of the sources said that, according to preliminary information, it appeared that the engines were off when responders arrived. As a result, responders were able to open the rear exit and escort passengers to safety.

Another source said a preliminary review by emergency responders shows the plane had received clearance to land, and the truck also had clearance to cross the runway. The NTSB is currently investigating.

The two sources said the plane struck the middle of the truck — causing the officers seated up front to be thrown from the truck — but enabling them to survive. The nose was low, so the pilots caught the full force of the impact.

All entrances and exits to LaGuardia Airport along Grand Central Parkway have reopened, according to the city's Notify NYC alert service.

But motorists should "expect residual delays" in the area, the alert said.

"An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 operating from Montreal (YUL) was involved in an accident at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) after landing on Runway 4 around 11:45 p.m. local time on Sunday, March 22. The FAA will investigate," it said in a statement earlier.

Air Canada has launched a phone line anyone concerned about passengers on board Flight AC8646. It is 1-800-961-7099.

AC8646 is a Jazz Aviation flight operated on behalf of Air Canada. 

The fire truck that collided with the Air Canada flight last night was responding to an unrelated issue on a United flight, concerning a smell that had been reported.

Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia told a news conference this morning that "the vehicle was responding to another aircraft operated by United that had reported an issue with odor."

She also said that a sergeant and a police officer who were on the truck were in a stable condition with injuries that were not life-threatening.

A total of 41 people, including passengers, crew, and aircraft rescue and firefighting officers, were taken to the hospital, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia told reporters.

Some are "seriously injured," she said, without providing an exact number of critical injuries.

An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, after colliding with a Port Authority vehicle in New York. Ryan Murphy / AP

The pilot and co-pilot of the Air Canada flight that collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport both died, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said.

Speaking to reporters at the airport just before 5 a.m., Garcia confirmed that the collision happened at 11:40 p.m. yesterday and that 72 passengers and four crew were on board the plane.

"Sadly, the two pilots are confirmed deceased and notifications are being made by Air Canada’s care team at this time," she said.

She did not offer any more information on the pilots, but said they were based in Canada.

Taxiing aircraft and all ground vehicles must be in constant communication with the air traffic control to avoid any collision, said Jeff Guzzetti, a retired aircraft accident investigator and NBC News aviation analyst.

Officials examine the area around an airport firetruck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport after a collision with an Air Canada jet, early today. Ryan Murphy / AP

"That vehicle needs to follow the orders of the controller, just like any airplane would to avoid this type of situation right here," he said, adding ground collisions are a "rare occurrence."

"I can't even think of the last time we had a collision on the ground between an airplane and a vehicle that resulted in critical injuries," he said.

Based on the information available, it did not appear there was any problem with the plane, he said, adding it was likely an "operational issue involving either the pilot, the controller, or the vehicle driver."

More than a dozen passengers on board the Air Canada flight suffered varying degrees of injuries, according to preliminary information from a senior official with knowledge of the investigation.

Some passengers were taken to Elmhurst and Queens Presbyterian hospitals, the source said.

The NYPD has told people expect delays and avoid the area of LaGuardia Airport if possible following the incident.

"Due to an emergency incident at LaGuardia Airport, all streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice. Expect delays and avoid the area if possible," the NYPD said in a post on X.

There will be no flights into or out of New York's LaGuardia Airport today until 2 p.m. ET, the Federal Aviation Administration said in an alert.

The airport was officially shut at 3:16 a.m. following the collision between a passenger jet and a Port Authority fire truck that was responding to an unrelated incident.

Fire trucks lineup outside LaGuardia Airport in New York today in New York. Ryan Murphy / AP

The vehicle involved in the overnight collision with a passenger plane at LaGuardia was a Port Authority "aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle" that was en route to another matter when it was struck, a spokesperson said.

The vehicle "was responding to a separate incident," the Port Authority official said without adding details about the assignment.

"Emergency response protocols were immediately activated," the spokesperson added. "The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency’s chairman and executive director."

LaGuardia's subsequent closure around midnight was to "facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation," the spokesperson said.

The Port Authority Police Department will provide future updates, according to the statement.

Jazz Aviation, which operates as Air Canada Express, confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved in the incident at LaGuardia Airport overnight.

In a statement, it identified the plane in question as Flight 8646 from Montreal to LaGuardia and said the aircraft is a CRJ-900.

It said 72 passengers and four crew members were on board, but said these are preliminary numbers from its passenger list that are "subject to confirmation."

The airline's time for the incident is 11:47 p.m. ET yesterday, according to the statement.

The National Transportation Safety Board is launching a "go team" to investigate the collision, it said.

The team, investigators sent to the scene of an accident in its immediate aftermath, is expected to arrive today, the NTSB said in a post on X.

An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 sits on the runway after colliding with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images

The pilot and co-pilot have been killed, two sources familiar with the investigation say.

The NYC medical examiner is now handling their deaths, the sources say.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a Bombardier CRJ-900 twin-jet aircraft arriving from Montreal.

The accident happened on LaGuardia’s runway 4 about 11:45 p.m. ET, it said. The FAA said it was investigating the crash.

Two sources familiar with the matter said the pilot and copilot on board the passenger plane were badly injured in the late-night collision.

A Port Authority Police Department sergeant and officer had broken limbs and were stabilized at a hospital, they said.

No other major injuries have been reported, the sources said.

The plane was nearing the end of its landing, rolling at about 30 mph, when the collision took place, the sources said. 

An Air Canada jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York this morning after colliding with a Port Authority vehicle. Ryan Murphy / AP

Four people were injured when authorities said an Air Canada passenger plane collided with a fire truck on a LaGuardia Airport runway late last night, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The plane, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, struck a Port Authority vehicle that was responding a separate incident around 11:40 p.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Port Authority described the truck as an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle. It was manned by police officers, the sources said.

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