Two pilots are dead and more than a dozen passengers are injured after an Air Canada Express regional jet struck an airport firetruck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, officials said.
Jazz Aviation, which operates Air Canada Express, confirmed that Flight 8646 was inbound from Montreal, carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, when the incident occurred at approximately 11:47 PM on March 22. The aircraft was traveling at roughly 30 miles per hour as it completed its landing when it struck a firefighting vehicle that had been dispatched to a separate emergency.
“Flight 8646 was en route to LaGuardia (LGA) from Montreal (YUL),” the company said in a statement. “The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, although this is subject to confirmation.”
Air traffic control audio from the incident, captured by BNO News, appears to record a controller saying he had “messed up,” with another voice replying, “Nah man, you did the best you could.” Officials have not yet confirmed the identities or roles of the individuals in the audio. Early reports indicate a possible communications breakdown may have contributed to the crash.
Injured passengers were transported to Elmhurst Hospital and New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital for treatment.
The FAA shut LaGuardia down at 3:16 AM and said the airport would not reopen until at least 2 PM Monday. The NYPD advised drivers to avoid all access roads to the facility until further notice.
The crash lands during a deepening crisis for American airports. The DHS shutdown has entered its 37th day, leaving TSA officers working without pay and airports operating with reduced staffing. More than 400 TSA agents have quit since mid-February.
“They’re going to take other jobs to put food on the table and pay the rent,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last week. “I do think it’s going to get much worse, and as it gets worse, I think that puts pressure on Congress to come to a resolution.”
Security wait times at major airports have stretched past three hours in recent days. On Saturday, President Trump announced he would deploy ICE agents to assist TSA at airports hit hardest by the staffing crisis.
“Help our wonderful TSA agents who have stayed on the job despite” the ongoing shutdown, Trump said.
