Pilot, Co-Pilot Killed as Air Canada Jet Collides with Fire Truck at La Guardia, Airport Shut Down
By ThankGod Inalegwu
A tragic aviation accident has claimed the lives of two crew members after an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, forcing a temporary shutdown of the busy airport.
According to reports by NBC News, the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft died from injuries sustained in the crash. Dozens of other passengers and emergency personnel were also injured, though many are reported to be in stable condition.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members on a flight from Montreal at the time of the incident. Jazz Aviation is a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation.
Preliminary data from Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft was traveling at approximately 24 miles per hour during landing when it struck the fire truck on Runway 4. The last recorded signal from the aircraft was logged at 11:37 p.m.
Authorities said the fire truck, reportedly operated by police officers, was responding to a separate emergency on the airfield when the collision occurred. Initial reports revealed that a police sergeant and an officer on board the vehicle sustained broken limbs but are currently in stable condition at a hospital.
Images from the scene showed significant damage to the nose of the aircraft, which appeared tilted upward following the impact, suggesting a forceful collision.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that LaGuardia Airport would remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday as emergency crews and investigators worked at the scene. The shutdown led to widespread disruptions, with at least 18 flights diverted or forced to return to their departure locations.
Meanwhile, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stated that the crash occurred while emergency responders were actively engaged elsewhere on airport grounds.
Investigations into the cause of the accident are expected to be led by the National Transportation Safety Board alongside the FAA. However, both agencies had yet to issue detailed statements at the time of reporting.
New York City’s emergency alert system has warned travelers to expect significant disruptions, including flight cancellations, road closures, and heavy traffic around the airport.
Air Canada acknowledged the incident but directed further inquiries to Jazz Aviation, which is expected to release more details as investigations continue.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about runway safety and coordination between aircraft and ground emergency operations at major international airports.