Air Canada Jet Collides With Fire Truck on LaGuardia Runway

Two pilots were killed and dozens injured late Sunday night when an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia Airport, triggering an immediate FAA ground stop and shutting down one of the busiest airports on the US East Coast.

The Air Canada Express CRJ 900 operated by Jazz Aviation, arriving from Montreal, struck the rescue vehicle at approximately 11:50 p.m. while rolling along the runway after landing. The collision crushed the nose and cockpit of the aircraft, killing both the Canadian-based pilot and co-pilot. Thirty-nine passengers and crew members were transported to local hospitals, with 13 among them sustaining injuries serious enough to require treatment.

Audio from air traffic control has emerged as a critical focus for investigators. Preliminary reviews suggest a single controller may have simultaneously cleared the fire truck to cross Runway 4 and authorised the incoming Air Canada flight to land, placing both on the same stretch of tarmac at the same time. The fire truck had been en route to assist with a separate odour-related incident aboard a United Airlines flight.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a formal investigation. LaGuardia, which handles nearly 900 flights daily, remained closed into Monday afternoon, with over 400 flights cancelled and severe disruption rippling across the Northeast corridor.

🚨 BREAKING UPDATE: MULTIPLE CRITICAL PATIENTS AFTER AIR CANADA FLIGHT COLLIDES WITH VEHICLE WHILE LANDING AT LAGUARDIA AIRPORT. POSSIBLE FATALITIES. https://t.co/hZWimAuwe5 pic.twitter.com/62SUgxoUkA

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 23, 2026