What happened

An Air Canada regional jet, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operating as Jazz Aviation Flight 8646 from Montreal, collided with a Port Authority fire truck on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport after landing. Flight tracking data puts the aircraft impact speed at about 24 miles per hour. The truck was responding to a separate incident at the airport when the collision occurred.

Tragically, the pilot and co-pilot were killed. Reports on the number of people on board vary, with sources giving figures in the low to mid 70s. Around 41 people were taken to hospital, and nine remain in care according to officials. Two emergency responders, described as a sergeant and an officer, were treated for broken limbs and are in stable condition.

How the sequence appears to have unfolded

  • An unrelated United Airlines flight reportedly aborted takeoff when an anti-ice warning light came on and crew reported an unusual odor in the cabin. That plane declared an emergency when no gate was available.
  • Air traffic control audio indicates fire trucks were made available to assist that incident. A transmission cleared a truck to cross Runway 4 at taxiway Delta.
  • Moments later a controller can be heard ordering the truck to stop. The Air Canada plane was arriving on the same runway at the time and then struck the truck.
  • Early reporting suggests the collision likely happened while some passengers were disembarking from the back of the aircraft.

Damage and response

Video shared on social media shows the jet with its cockpit section sitting high and visible damage to the forward underside of the fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration has said LaGuardia will be closed until at least 2 p.m. Eastern on Monday while emergency crews work the scene.

The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to determine exactly what happened. The Port Authority held a press briefing confirming the two pilot fatalities and the number of passengers taken to hospital.

Key questions investigators will need to answer

  • Who authorised the fire truck to cross the runway and why was the clearance given when another aircraft was arriving?
  • Was the aborted takeoff and the emergency response fully communicated to all controllers and ground vehicles?
  • What do flight data and cockpit voice recorders reveal about the Air Canada crew actions during the landing and impact?

What this means for travellers

Expect major disruptions at LaGuardia for the rest of the day. The airport closure affects arriving and departing flights and will produce delays and cancellations. If you planned travel, check your airline for updates and allow extra time. Authorities are focused on immediate rescue and investigation work, so the priority right now is passenger safety and finding out why this breakdown happened.