A tragic collision on the runway has brought New York’s LaGuardia Airport to a standstill. Late Sunday night, an Air Canada Express jet collided with a Port Authority rescue vehicle, resulting in two fatalities and dozens of injuries.
For anyone with immediate plans involving New York airspace, LaGuardia remains under a strict Federal Aviation Administration ground stop. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Port Authority officials confirmed the airport is closed to all flights until at least 2:00 p.m. ET on Monday to allow for emergency response and runway clearance.
At approximately 11:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 22, Jazz Aviation flight 8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900 arriving from Montreal, struck a fire truck on Runway 4. The rescue vehicle was crossing the runway to respond to a separate emergency involving a United Airlines flight that had aborted its takeoff due to an onboard odor.
The collision tragically killed both the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft. Out of the 72 passengers and four crew members on board, 41 people were transported to local hospitals. This includes two Port Authority firefighters who sustained serious injuries during the crash.
Air traffic control audio highlights a critical miscommunication leading up to the disaster. A dispatcher cleared the fire truck to cross at taxiway Delta before suddenly yelling, “Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” and subsequently stating over the radio, “I messed up.”
🔴 UPDATE — LaGuardia crash:
CONFIRMED: The pilot and co-pilot of Air Canada Express Flight 8646 were killed. ATC audio reveals the controller cleared the fire truck to cross Runway 4 at the same moment the jet was landing — then screamed "Stop Truck 1! Stop, stop, stop!"…
— CNYSignal.com (@cnysignal) March 23, 2026
The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed a team to lead the investigation alongside the FAA. Former NTSB chair Robert Sumwalt noted that a comprehensive investigation into the communication breakdown could take 12 to 18 months.
This incident exacerbates ongoing travel disruptions across the United States this weekend. Passengers are already facing widespread delays linked to severe weather conditions and security staffing shortages tied to a partial Department of Homeland Security funding lapse. Travelers are strongly advised to check with their airlines, as at least 18 flights have already been diverted to nearby airports.