A tragic collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday has left both pilots of an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 dead and dozens of passengers and emergency personnel injured, forcing the airport to shut down temporarily, authorities confirmed.
The regional jet, operated by Jazz Aviation, a partner of Air Canada, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members on a flight from Montreal when it collided with a fire truck while landing. Both the pilot and first officer were killed in the crash, according to statements from Jazz and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The incident occurred amid ongoing challenges in U.S. aviation, including chronic air traffic controller shortages and a partial Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workforce shortfall due to a government shutdown, which has contributed to airport delays and heightened safety concerns nationwide.
A separate disruption at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday morning added to travel chaos after air-traffic controllers evacuated the tower following reports of a burning smell from an elevator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
Jazz President Doug Clarke described the day as “incredibly difficult” for the airline, its employees, and the families of those affected by Flight 8646.
Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia said that of the 41 injured, 32 have been released, while nine remain hospitalized with serious injuries. At least two firefighters also sustained significant injuries during the incident, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Aviation safety experts noted that the investigation will examine multiple factors, including air traffic control staffing, communications between controllers and the truck crew, and standard airport landing procedures.
“The Air Canada jet was cleared to land, and the rescue and firefighting vehicle was also cleared. There are a lot of questions now about communication,” said U.S. safety expert Anthony Brickhouse, highlighting that air-crash investigations typically identify multiple contributing factors, rather than a single cause.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine how such a rare and catastrophic accident occurred.
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