NTSB Probes LaGuardia Runway Collision That Killed Two Air Canada Pilots as Controller Juggled Roles and Warning System Failed
The NTSB is investigating a March 22 runway collision at LaGuardia in which an Air Canada Express CRJ‑900 landing from Montréal struck a Port Authority ARFF truck that was responding to a separate odor incident, killing both the pilot and first officer and injuring roughly 39–41 passengers and crew (and two Port Authority employees); the airport was closed into Monday afternoon while wreckage and recorders were recovered. Preliminary findings show controllers were performing multiple overnight roles with conflicting tower logs, the lead fire truck lacked a transponder, the airport surface‑detection/runway warning systems did not generate an alert, and investigators are reviewing cockpit and tower recordings and procedures.
📌 Key Facts
- On the night of March 22, 2026 (about 11:40–11:47 p.m.), Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a Jazz Aviation Bombardier CRJ‑900 arriving from Montréal with about 72 passengers and four crew, struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck that was crossing Runway 4 to respond to a separate report of a foul odor on a United Airlines flight.
- Both the captain and first officer — identified as Capt. Antoine Forrest (also reported as Forest) and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther — were killed in the collision; they were based in Canada. Roughly 39–42 passengers and crew and two Port Authority ARFF employees were taken to hospitals (most have since been released; several remained hospitalized), and some injuries were serious.
- Tower audio released via LiveATC and captured in NTSB reporting shows a controller clearing the truck, then frantically ordering it to 'stop, stop' seconds before impact and later saying 'I messed up.' Runway‑camera video shows the ARFF truck flipped multiple times and the aircraft’s nose sheared off on a rain‑soaked runway.
- NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder (removed by cutting into the fuselage and sent to the NTSB lab). The agency says control‑tower logs contain conflicting information about who handled ground‑control duties immediately before the crash, and coordination between air traffic control and ground vehicles is a primary focus of the probe.
- Preliminary NTSB findings indicate the airport surface detection system (ASDE‑X) did not generate an alert and the lead firefighting vehicle lacked a transponder; investigators said merging vehicle movements prevented creation of a 'high‑confidence' track that would have triggered an alert.
- Survivor accounts describe a very hard, chaotic landing with intense braking and passengers thrown about the cabin; flight attendant Solange Tremblay was thrown from the aircraft while still strapped into her jump seat and suffered multiple leg fractures requiring surgery. Passengers and crew helped evacuate others, and many reported head and blunt‑force injuries.
- LaGuardia was closed to facilitate the NTSB investigation, causing hundreds of cancellations and widespread disruption; the airport reopened Monday afternoon with limited operations (one runway) and officials said the collision site and debris could keep the runway closed for days.
- Officials including NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia and FAA Administrator Brian Bedford called the crash a tragedy; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and multiple outlets flagged controller staffing, overnight workload practices and broader system strain as contextual concerns under investigation.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
The LaGuardia Crash Is a Warning
"An opinion piece using the LaGuardia runway collision and preliminary NTSB findings to warn that human‑error risks, equipment failures and institutional strains (staffing, training, funding, politicization) imperil aviation safety and demand systemic fixes rather than scapegoating a lone controller."
📰 Source Timeline (23)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 25, 2026
12:52 AM
2 pilots killed in LaGuardia Airport runway collision identified
New information:
- The two pilots killed in the LaGuardia runway collision were identified as Capt. Antoine Forrest (also spelled Forest in some records), from Coteau‑du‑Lac, Québec, and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther, a 2023 graduate of Seneca Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Aviation Technology program.
- FAA Administrator Brian Bedford publicly called the deaths of the two young pilots an 'absolute tragedy' and emphasized they were at the start of their careers.
- The NTSB said at a Tuesday news conference that a runway warning system did not activate in the moments before the collision.
- Air Canada updated injury figures, saying 39 passengers and crew were injured and six remained hospitalized as of Tuesday.
- A passenger, Clément Lelièvre, credited the pilots’ 'incredible reflexes' and extremely hard braking on touchdown with preventing far worse casualties.
12:10 AM
An air traffic controller was juggling extra roles during the LaGuardia plane crash
New information:
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said there were only two controllers in the LaGuardia tower at the time of the crash and that at least one was performing several controller roles.
- Homendy specified that the controller‑in‑charge was also acting as the clearance‑delivery controller and that investigators have conflicting information about whether that controller or the local controller was also serving as ground controller.
- Homendy framed the issue as a systemic midnight‑shift staffing practice—often two controllers covering several positions—and directly questioned whether that practice makes sense at a high‑traffic airport like LaGuardia.
- She reiterated longstanding NTSB concerns about fatigue and workload on the midnight shift, while noting there is currently no evidence fatigue contributed to this specific crash.
- NTSB investigator Doug Brazy provided a more detailed timeline from the cockpit voice recorder’s final three minutes, including that an unknown airport vehicle’s radio call was “stepped on” by overlapping transmissions before firefighters requested and received clearance to cross the runway in response to fumes from a United Airlines plane.
March 24, 2026
8:30 PM
NTSB flags ‘conflicting information’ in LaGuardia tower, unclear who handled ground-control duties
New information:
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy says investigators have found 'conflicting information' in LaGuardia control-tower logs, including discrepancies in dates and times.
- It remains unclear who was performing the ground-controller role before the collision, with conflicting accounts indicating either the controller-in-charge or the local controller; roles may have been combined under standard overnight procedures.
- Preliminary cockpit voice recorder summary: the fire truck requested permission to cross Runway 4 about 25 seconds before the recording ended; clearance was given at about 20 seconds remaining, a stop order was issued at 9 seconds, the aircraft’s gear sound appears at 8 seconds, control shifted to the captain at 6 seconds, and another stop order came at 4 seconds.
- The lead firefighting vehicle did not have a transponder, which limited what controllers and the airport surface detection equipment could see.
- NTSB says the ASDE-X surface monitoring system did not generate an alert because the close proximity of vehicles merging near the runway prevented creation of a 'high confidence' track.
5:03 PM
WATCH LIVE: NTSB offers update on deadly LaGuardia Airport collision investigation
New information:
- NTSB plans a detailed news conference at 1:30 p.m. EDT on March 24, 2026, to share initial findings on the LaGuardia runway collision.
- Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder by cutting a hole in the aircraft’s roof and have transported them to the NTSB lab in Washington for analysis.
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy says the runway where the collision occurred remains closed and is likely to stay shut for days while investigators sift through extensive debris.
- Investigators are specifically examining what was happening inside the control tower, including whether controllers were distracted by managing a separate late‑night emergency involving another aircraft.
- Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirms both deceased pilots were Canada‑based, and about 40 people—including two from the fire truck—were hospitalized, though most were released by Monday morning.
4:44 PM
LaGuardia pilots ID’d: ‘2 young men at the start of their careers’
New information:
- The two pilots killed are identified as Capt. Antoine Forest and first officer Mackenzie Gunther, both early in their commercial careers.
- Forest was in his 30s, learned to fly bush planes in Quebec, and was hired by Air Canada in December 2022; Gunther graduated from Seneca College’s aviation technology program in 2023.
- FAA Administrator Brian Bedford publicly called their deaths an 'absolute tragedy' and emphasized they were 'two young men at the start of their careers.'
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said LaGuardia has 33 certified air‑traffic controllers and 7 in training against a target of 37, but refused to say how many were on duty at the time of the crash, citing the NTSB investigation.
- New survivor accounts describe the impact, including passenger Rebecca Liquori opening an emergency exit to help others and details from the flight attendant’s daughter that Solange Tremblay’s jump seat was thrown over 100 meters while she remained strapped in and survived with multiple fractures.
4:13 PM
‘We all thought that we were going to die’: LaGuardia survivor recounts harrowing crash
New information:
- Named survivor: Passenger Rebecca Liquori, a Nassau County nurse, describes being on 'high alert' due to extreme turbulence before landing.
- Liquori reports hearing intense braking as pilots tried to slow the plane before the collision, followed by a 'very loud boom' and passengers being thrown against seats.
- Liquori, seated in an emergency exit row, says she and a fellow passenger named Rachel opened the exit door and helped passengers evacuate, unaware at the time that both pilots had been killed and a flight attendant had been ejected from the aircraft.
- She provides detailed descriptions of visible passenger injuries, including head gashes, bleeding, swelling and black eyes consistent with blunt-force impacts during the crash.
- Liquori describes acute psychological trauma in the aftermath, including insomnia and recurring flashbacks of the impact and screams.
11:43 AM
Flight attendant survives being thrown from Air Canada flight in deadly LaGuardia crash: 'Total miracle'
New information:
- Identifies the surviving flight attendant as Solange Tremblay, who was still strapped into her jump seat when she was thrown from the aircraft during the collision and suffered multiple leg fractures requiring surgery.
- Quotes Tremblay’s daughter, Sarah Lepine, calling her mother’s survival a 'total miracle' and describing her condition.
- Adds expert analysis from former federal crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti explaining that the crew jump seat’s four‑point restraint and robust design likely contributed to Tremblay’s survival.
- States explicitly that NTSB investigators are treating coordination between air traffic control and ground vehicles, including the fire truck that had been cleared to cross, as a key focus of the probe and that the runway is expected to remain closed for days while debris is cleared and recorders analyzed.
3:23 AM
What to know about the deadly collision between a jet and fire truck at NYC's LaGuardia Airport
New information:
- Confirms the pilot and copilot were the only fatalities among roughly 70 passengers and four crew, and that about 40 passengers and crew were taken to hospitals, with most released by Monday morning.
- Provides additional detail on the originating emergency: a United Flight 2384 reported a 'weird odor' making flight attendants ill, declared an emergency, and requested to return to the gate with fire response.
- Includes new quotes and controller audio summary, including the controller’s post‑collision admission on the tape: 'I messed up.'
- Adds specific survivor detail: flight attendant Solange Tremblay was thrown from the aircraft while still strapped in her seat, suffering multiple leg fractures requiring surgery.
- Clarifies operational impacts: LaGuardia fully shut down after the crash and reopened Monday afternoon with only one runway in operation and 'significant delays.'
- Notes weather conditions at the time (mist, fog, ~7‑knot winds) and that this is LaGuardia’s first fatal accident in more than 30 years.
March 23, 2026
11:41 PM
Investigation underway after plane slams into fire-rescue truck while landing at LaGuardia
New information:
- CBS recap piece reiterates that two pilots were killed and dozens of people were injured when an arriving Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire-and-rescue truck on a LaGuardia runway.
- Confirms that an official investigation is underway into the crash, without adding new technical findings beyond what earlier detailed coverage has reported.
10:50 PM
Deadly LaGuardia plane collision comes as U.S. air system faces significant stress
New information:
- PBS segment explicitly frames the LaGuardia collision within the broader context of a U.S. air system under 'considerable stress,' rather than treating it as an isolated incident.
- The report emphasizes that this deadly runway collision is part of a pattern of strain in aviation operations and staffing nationwide, implicitly connecting the crash to system‑wide pressure points.
- The piece underlines that dozens were injured in addition to the two pilots killed, reinforcing the scale of casualties while focusing audience attention on national air-safety implications.
8:07 PM
WATCH: Duffy and FAA chief hold news briefing on deadly collision at LaGuardia Airport
New information:
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at a Monday briefing that LaGuardia is 'well-staffed' but still faces 'shortages' of air traffic controllers.
- Officials reiterated that most of the roughly 40 passengers and crew taken to hospitals after the crash have since been released from treatment.
- Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said the two Port Authority employees in the fire truck were injured but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
7:59 PM
LaGuardia plane crash video shows jet collide with fire truck after frantic air traffic control warning
New information:
- Runway‑camera video posted by 'FDNY Response Videos' shows the Air Canada jet rolling down Runway 4 and striking a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting truck that is turning with emergency lights on.
- The collision flips the fire truck several times and shears the nose off the CRJ‑900 as it appears to lose control on a rain‑soaked runway.
- The article pairs the video with air‑traffic‑control audio in which a controller appears to clear the truck to cross, then shouts 'Stop, truck one. Stop… Stop, stop, stop, stop' moments before impact.
- A passenger, identified as Jack Cabot, describes seeing multiple passengers bleeding from their heads after evacuation and says 'a lot of people got pretty hurt.'
- LaGuardia officials confirm the airport had reopened by about 2 p.m. Monday but warn travelers to expect delays and cancellations as operations ramp back up.
6:57 PM
What to know about the collision between a plane and fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport
New information:
- Crash time specified as around 11:45 p.m. Sunday.
- Fire truck was crossing the runway to respond to a separate incident involving a concerning odor aboard another plane.
- Article notes tower audio shows the truck was initially cleared to cross the runway before a controller tried to cancel and repeatedly ordered it to stop, while diverting incoming aircraft.
- Confirms roughly 70 passengers and four crew were aboard the Jazz Aviation-operated Air Canada regional jet from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
- States that LaGuardia was shut down after the crash and reopened Monday afternoon.
- Clarifies that the two fatalities (pilot and copilot) were based in Canada; about 40 passengers and crew were taken to hospitals, most released by Monday morning.
- Adds context that the collision occurs amid a more than month-long partial DHS shutdown that is already causing long TSA lines, worker resignations and traveler frustration, though it notes it's too early to say whether the shutdown played a role.
4:59 PM
Air Canada passenger says pilot 'did the best thing he could,' describes deadly impact
New information:
- Eyewitness passenger Jack Cabot describes the landing as 'really hard' followed by an 'absolute slam,' with the aircraft veering left and right and 'chaos' in the cabin.
- Cabot says the pilot 'did the best thing he could' by braking hard to stop the plane, adding that the captain 'knew it was going to be at the cost of his own life.'
- The article confirms more than 39 passengers and crew plus at least two Port Authority firefighters were hospitalized, some seriously, and notes many passengers were bleeding from the head.
- New air‑traffic‑control audio includes a controller telling another pilot after the crash, 'I messed up,' in addition to repeated frantic orders for 'Truck 1' to 'stop, stop, stop.'
- President Donald Trump commented that 'they made a mistake' about the collision, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canadian officials are working closely with U.S. counterparts to investigate the 'deeply saddening' incident.
2:27 PM
Welcome to the spring of travel hell
New information:
- Axios connects the LaGuardia runway collision to broader worries about air traffic controller workload and staffing, framing it as part of a pattern that also includes a fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C., a year earlier.
- The piece notes that both the aircraft and the emergency vehicle were cleared to use the runway, underscoring potential systemic or procedural failures rather than a simple incursion.
1:55 PM
LaGuardia Airport collision between jet and fire truck kills pilot and copilot
New information:
- Confirms the dead are the pilot and copilot, both based out of Canada, per Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.
- Specifies there were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the Bombardier CRJ operated by Jazz Aviation for Air Canada.
- Clarifies that approximately 40 passengers and crew were taken to hospitals and that most have since been released.
- Adds that the fire truck was crossing the runway to respond to a separate United Airlines flight that had reported an 'issue with odor.'
- Reports that Newark Liberty International Airport operations were temporarily halted Monday morning after air-traffic controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell from an elevator, per FAA.
- Notes that LaGuardia will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday to facilitate the NTSB investigation.
- Includes a public statement from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expressing condolences and noting 'two pilots were killed and dozens injured.'
- Clarifies that air-traffic controllers themselves are not affected by the partial DHS shutdown, even as TSA staffing and funding issues drive long security lines.
1:02 PM
2 pilots killed after plane, firetruck collide at New York's LaGuardia Airport
New information:
- Confirms that the two people killed in the collision were the pilots of the Air Canada Express plane.
- Restates that dozens of people were injured in the incident.
- Reiterates that LaGuardia Airport is closed following the collision between the Air Canada Express plane and an emergency vehicle on the runway.
12:47 PM
2 pilots killed after plane collides with truck at LaGuardia Airport in NYC, officials say
New information:
- CBS segment confirms the collision was between an Air Canada Express plane and a fire-and-rescue vehicle on a LaGuardia runway, consistent with prior reports.
- Includes on-air analysis from former NTSB air safety investigator Gregory Feith about likely investigative focus and safety questions (procedures for emergency vehicle access to active runways, ATC coordination, etc.), though no concrete new facts about casualties or cause are provided in the clip text.
- Reiterates that officials have confirmed the deaths of both pilots in the collision.
10:45 AM
LaGuardia plane crash air traffic control audio reveals frantic call for truck to 'stop, stop, stop'
New information:
- Air traffic control audio released via LiveATC captures a controller repeatedly ordering 'Truck 1' to 'stop, stop' moments before the collision and then frantically diverting an incoming aircraft from landing.
- Fox article confirms at least 42 total injured: 39 passengers and crew transported to hospitals plus two Port Authority employees in the fire truck with non–life-threatening injuries.
- Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia reiterates that the pilot and copilot were based in Canada and that most injured passengers and crew have since been released from treatment.
- The article specifies that LaGuardia will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday to facilitate the NTSB-led investigation.
8:46 AM
New York's LaGuardia Airport closed after jet collides with firefighting vehicle
New information:
- Confirms that two people were killed in the collision, according to a person familiar with the investigation.
- States that two Port Authority employees traveling in the fire truck were injured.
- Clarifies that the vehicle struck was a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle responding to a separate incident.
- Notes that LaGuardia Airport was closed as of 3 a.m. to facilitate the investigation.
- Includes details and quoted audio from air‑traffic‑control transmissions attempting to stop 'Truck 1' and divert incoming aircraft.
8:46 AM
A LaGuardia crash kills 2, hurts dozens and closes the airport. Here's what to know
New information:
- Identifies the flight as Air Canada Flight 8646, a CRJ‑900 operated by regional carrier Jazz Aviation from Montréal‑Trudeau to LaGuardia with 72 passengers and four crew.
- Confirms that 41 passengers and crew were transported to hospitals; 32 had been released as of early Monday, with nine remaining hospitalized and some serious injuries.
- Reports Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia’s statement that both pilots (pilot and first officer) were killed and that the two officers in the Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle were hospitalized in stable, non–life‑threatening condition.
- Details that the ARFF truck was on the runway at air traffic control’s discretion, responding to a separate 'odor' incident on a United Airlines plane, and that all runway movements require tower clearance.
- Provides air‑traffic‑control audio from LiveATC.net in which a controller clears the vehicle to cross, then frantically orders it to stop and later says, 'We were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up.'
- Notes that LaGuardia will be closed until at least 2 p.m. ET Monday to facilitate the NTSB investigation and that at least 573 flights into or out of the airport were canceled Monday morning, according to FlightAware.
5:47 AM
Air Canada jet hits fire truck, killing 2 and forcing New York's LaGuardia airport to close
New information:
- Confirms the struck Port Authority vehicle was an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck responding to a separate incident on Runway 4.
- Specifies that two Port Authority pilots in the ARFF vehicle were killed and that more than 40 passengers, crew, and ARFF officers were transported to hospitals, with at least some suffering serious injuries.
- Provides the aircraft’s approximate ground speed at impact (about 24 mph per Flightradar24) and the exact reported time of the incident (about 11:40–11:47 p.m. on March 22, 2026).
- States that the FAA issued a ground stop and that LaGuardia is expected to remain closed until 2 p.m. Monday, with many inbound flights diverted or returned.
- Includes on‑record statements from Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia and a Port Authority spokesperson describing emergency protocols and confirming coordination with federal authorities.