LaGuardia Airport closed following collision between Air Canada plane and airport vehicle

[littlemissmartypants]

Source: ABC NEWS

NEW YORK (WABC) -- LaGuardia Airport in New York is closed following a collision between a Port Authority airport vehicle and an Air Canada regional plane, according to police.

The Air Canada regional jet involved in the collision with a ground vehicle at LaGuardia Airport was traveling from Montreal to New York, according to data from Flightradar24.

A spokesperson for the FDNY said firefighters responded to the incident at 11:38 p.m.on Sunday.

At least two individuals are seriously injured and currently hospitalized following the collision, sources told ABC News.

Read more: https://abc7ny.com/post/laguardia-airport-new-york-closed-following-collision-between-air-canada-plane-vehicle/18753595/

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Monday, March 23, 2026 1:57AM

[highplainsdem]

1. NBC story:

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/plane-collides-vehicle-laguardia-airport/6479805/

A plane collided with a vehicle on the ground at LaGuardia Airport, according to emergency officials, leading to multiple injuries.

The collision occurred after 11:30 p.m. Sunday at the Queens airport, FDNY officials said. Preliminary details of an investigation showed that an Air Canada plane was nearing the end of its landing procedure when it collided with a Port Authority firetruck manned by police officers, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

At least four people were injured, including two Port Authority police officers, who were taken to area hospitals, two sources told NBC New York. The two PAPD members — a sergeant and an officer — suffered broken bones in the collision, but were expected to recover.

There were four crew members onboard the plane, along with 76 passengers, according to sources. The pilot and the co-pilot were badly injured, sources said, but no further information regarding their conditions was immediately available.

-snip-

[EarthFirst]

13. Is it common for law enforcement to operate Port Authority fire apparatus?

I’m not familiar with emergency ground equipment operations; however this seems out of place.

“…Port Authority firetruck manned by police officers”

May anyone shed light on the topic?

[Historic NY]

21. There are officers that a dual duty

Last edited Mon Mar 23, 2026, 12:28 PM - Edit history (1)

the problem has been long uncorrected and involves NY and NJ . Essentially its a cash cow for the unions, yes I said it .
The doubling up of duties . There is also a fire dept. so the police function in addition to them handling equipment.

Driving an apparatus is different from the actual firefighting. Many locations in the country have Public Safety Departments and many places hire paid driver to supplement volunteer fire depts.

For a small agency a lot is asked from bridge, to tunnel, to ferries, trains to bus terminal etc. Allegedly since 911 changes were made.

Each year, more than 600 Port Authority officers are cross-trained as aircraft rescue firefighters for the region's three major airports - John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, and LaGuardia airports.
Port Authority Police assigned to aircraft rescue and firefighting undergo rigorous training twice a year to achieve and maintain Federal Aviation Administration certification. * To note Stewart International Airport in New Windsor is also a PA operated. It has an Air Guard compliment with FireFighters in addition to the PA staff.

https://web.archive.org/web/20081002020238/http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PortAuthorityPolice/FirefightingandCrashEmergency/

[Historic NY]

2. The plane had the right of way....

the controller needs to be fired.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. It appears that the two injured may have passed away, too.

[Maru Kitteh]

5. oh no

[littlemissmartypants]

6. Unconfirmed. One place is reporting, others not. Reserving judgment.

[Cha]

10. So there's Hope! I feel so bad

about this... for all of them but especially for the Canadian Pilots who look like they were not at fault from reading this thread. :

Mahalo for the OP, pants.

[LiberalArkie]

16. According to what I read, the controllers were almost screaming for the truck to get off the landing strip.

[Historic NY]

4. "Stop, Stop, Stop": Air Traffic To Truck Before New York Plane Crash

"Stop, Stop, Stop": Air Traffic To Truck Before New York Plane Crash
An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle upon landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Monday.

"Stop, stop, stop" is what the air traffic controller told the truck driver seconds before it reportedly crashed into an Air Canada Express plane at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Monday.

In an audio clip going viral on social media, an official was heard saying that "Truck 1 and company LaGuardia Tower are requesting to cross 4 at Delta".
An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York

An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York
Photo Credit: AFP

"Truck 1 and company crossing 4," the official says.

The traffic controller then asks, "Frontier 4195, just stop there, please".

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, Truck 1, stop, stop, stop. Stop, Truck 1, stop," the controller can be heard shouting in panic.


Port Authority cops are also firefighters, the rotate duties









https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/air-canada-express-crash-new-york-laguardia-airport-air-traffic-told-truck-before-crash-with-air-canada-express-plane-stop-stop-stop-11253063]

[LiberalArkie]

17. What I learned from my home town is that LEO's should never, ever assume the role of firefighters or paramedics

Fire fighters and paramedics have a mental state to save lives, LEO's mental state is to take lives and protect themselves.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. I literally just heard on a local traffic report here in Philly that LaGuardia flights are being diverted here to Philly

International airport (and the traffic report noted increased traffic all around the airport). I know during "normal" times, JFK and Liberty are already overcrowded.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. 🌞Good morning, BRDS. Now that you're up, maybe I can get to sleep. ...

I hope you have a good day. ❤️

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Major damage to the front of the plane

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy01g522ww4o

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Pilot and co-pilot killed at New York airport after collision with truck

https://news.sky.com/story/laguardia-crash-latest-pilot-and-co-pilot-killed-at-new-york-airport-after-collision-with-truck-13519011?postid=11386262#liveblog-body

More than a dozen passengers injured
More than a dozen passengers have suffered injuries, a senior official with knowledge of the investigation has said.

Some passengers were taken to Elmhurst and Queens Presbyterian hospitals, the source told our US partner network NBC News.

Jazz Aviation, which operates as Air Canada Express, earlier said its passenger list showed a total of 76 people were on board, although that figure is subject to confirmation.

https://news.sky.com/story/laguardia-crash-latest-pilot-and-co-pilot-killed-at-new-york-airport-after-collision-with-truck-13519011?postid=11386521#liveblog-body

[Old Crank]

12. Planes can't stop quickly

But fire trucks can't either.
I will be interested in seeing if this was human error that allowed the truck onto the runway or some technical glitch. Wonder if understaffing had anything to do with it. One report said truck was responding to another call.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Ground stop: Flights halted at LaGuardia after deadly collision - Morning Joe - MS NOW

Two people were killed when a passenger jet struck a Port Authority vehicle at LaGuardia Airport late last night, officials said. They are the pilot and co-pilot. LaGuardia is now closed and won't reopen until 2 p.m. today at the earliest, as authorities investigate. The closure could be extended and police have warned people to avoid the area. - Aired on 03/23/2026.

[hadEnuf]

15. Was this a terrible oversight?

Or was it due to over worked / understaffed air traffic controllers?

Not saying this was the problem, but the DOGE cuts did wreak havoc on air travel. They no doubt have people working on shoestring staffing.

[yardwork]

18. This is a systemic problem.

One air traffic controller will be blamed and will carry the guilt for a systemic problem.

[Ford_Prefect]

19. The Guardian carries this report as of 9 AM EST.

Pilot and co-pilot killed after Air Canada jet collision at LaGuardia New York

The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet have been killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport, in an incident that closed the airport.

The collision also caused serious injuries, with nine people in the hospital. It happened as a firefighting vehicle was responding to a separate incident, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport and reported having two employees hurt while they travelled in the fire truck.

The Air Canada Express CRJ-900 plane, operated by its partner Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, according to an airline statement. The flight originated at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport, the major airport serving Montreal. Jazz is owned by Chorus Aviation.

In the moments before the crash, an air traffic controller could be heard on a radio transmission giving clearance to a vehicle to cross part of the runway, then trying to stop it.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/23/air-canada-plane-collides-with-ground-vehicle-at-new-yorks-laguardia-airport-halting-all-flights

The Airport will remain closed until at least 2 PM Monday while the FAA and NTSB investigate the incident.

[Bayard]

20. Not even safe on the tarmac.....

What a tragedy.