- Air traffic control repeatedly warned the truck driver to stop
- Collision happened during landing on a wet runway
- Pilot and co-pilot later died from severe injuries
- Fire truck was responding to another emergency
- Flights at LaGuardia were temporarily halted
An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Monday night, resulting in the deaths of both the pilot and co-pilot and injuries to several others. The crash occurred just moments after air traffic control issued urgent warnings to the vehicle involved.
According to reports, the aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members on board. As it approached runway four, a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting truck attempted to cross the runway while responding to a separate emergency.
Audio clips circulating on social media appear to capture the tense moments leading up to the collision. In the recording, an air traffic controller can be heard instructing the truck driver to stop multiple times, shouting, “Stop, stop, stop!” in increasing urgency. Despite these warnings, the crash occurred seconds later. The authenticity of the audio has not been officially confirmed.
The aircraft struck the fire truck at an estimated speed of 24 miles per hour (about 39 km/h) around 11:40 p.m. local time, according to flight tracking data. Images from the scene show significant damage to the front of the aircraft, which came to a halt on a wet runway.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene. The pilot and co-pilot, who suffered severe injuries, were taken for medical treatment but later died. Two personnel in the fire truck, identified as a sergeant and an officer, sustained broken limbs and were reported to be in stable condition at a nearby hospital.
Also a CCTV footage from LaGuardia Airport shows the exact moment an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 collided with a fire truck on the runway, providing a clear visual timeline of the incident. The video captures the aircraft moving slowly along the wet surface, appearing to be near the end of its landing roll and transitioning toward taxiing.
Visibility looks poor due to bad weather, with runway lights reflecting off the slick ground. As the jet continues forward, a Port Authority fire truck can be seen crossing the runway from the side, seemingly unaware of the approaching aircraft. Within seconds, the plane strikes the vehicle head-on, causing a sudden jolt and visible damage to the front section of the jet.
The impact appears forceful but not at high speed, consistent with reports that the aircraft was moving at around 24 miles per hour. Debris is seen scattering across the runway, and both the aircraft and the truck come to an immediate stop. The footage highlights how quickly the situation escalated, leaving little time for either the pilots or the driver to react before the collision occurred.
The fire truck had reportedly been dispatched to assist a United Airlines Boeing 737 Max that had declared an emergency on the ground. The crew of that aircraft had reported a strange odor inside the cabin that was making flight attendants feel ill, prompting the request for emergency support.
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a temporary ground stop at LaGuardia Airport, halting all incoming and outgoing flights for several hours. Operations resumed later, but officials warned of ongoing delays and cancellations.
New York’s emergency management authorities also advised travelers to expect disruptions, including traffic congestion and road closures around the airport area in Queens. Travelers were urged to use alternate routes and check flight statuses before heading to the airport.
The incident comes at a time when LaGuardia was already experiencing delays due to poor weather conditions. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with authorities expected to review communication records, runway procedures, and vehicle movements to determine how the accident occurred despite clear warnings.
