Air Canada jet collides with fire truck at LaGuardia, pilot and co-pilot killed
An Air Canada Express jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, killing the pilot and co-pilot. The crash shut down the airport overnight and halted all flights.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal when it struck an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle responding to a separate incident.
Collision during landing roll
The plane had already landed and was slowing on the runway when the collision occurred shortly before midnight. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft was moving at low speed at impact — 24 mph according to CBS News.
The jet was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, though that number could change as information comes in. Several passengers were injured, and two people inside the fire truck were also hurt, according to CNN.
The Port Authority said that 41 passengers and crew were taken to the hospital, though 32 have been released.
Air traffic control audio captured the moments before impact, with a controller instructing the vehicle to stop seconds before the collision, according to a LiveATC.net recording.
Airport shutdown, delays expected
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop shortly after the crash, citing an aircraft emergency. LaGuardia was closed overnight and is not expected to reopen until at least 2 p.m. ET Monday.
Roads and highway access points into the airport were also closed as emergency crews responded.
Officials say flight delays and cancellations are likely to continue through the day as operations resume.
Investigation focus on runway coordination
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to New York later Monday to investigate the crash.
Investigators will examine how the aircraft and the emergency vehicle were cleared to be on the same runway. The truck had been dispatched to assist another aircraft that reported an issue on board.
Emergency crews surrounded the aircraft within minutes of the collision.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
