Air Canada Express Pilots Killed in Runway Collision with Fire Truck at LaGuardia Airport

Two pilots of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed late Sunday night when their Bombardier CRJ-900 collided with a Port Authority fire truck on or near Runway 4 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft, operating as Flight 8646 from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), landed around 11:37 – 11:40 p.m. local time on March 22, 2026. While taxiing and attempting to cross Runway 04/22, the plane struck the emergency vehicle, causing severe damage to the aircraft’s nose and cockpit area.
Video and images from the scene showed the forward fuselage heavily crushed, with the aircraft tilted awkwardly on the tarmac, tail down, under intense emergency lighting.

The pilot and co-pilot – both from Jazz Aviation, which operates the flight under the Air Canada Express brand – were confirmed dead at the scene but no passenger fatalities have been reported. The aircraft carried approximately 70 – 100 passengers and four crew members. Passengers were evacuated using emergency slides onto the wet runway and most injuries among passengers and remaining crew appear minor, with many treated on-site or transported for precautionary evaluation.

Several Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) personnel sustained serious or critical injuries. Initial reports indicated at least four firefighters in critical condition, though the mass casualty protocol activated by the FDNY was later scaled back as the situation stabilised.

Emergency services responded swiftly, with the scene showing the damaged CRJ-900 surrounded by fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles. No post-impact fire was reported on the aircraft itself.

LaGuardia Airport was immediately closed, with a full ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Inbound flights were diverted primarily to nearby John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Newark (EWR) airports. Operations remained suspended into Monday morning, causing significant travel disruptions across the New York region.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched a formal investigation overnight, dispatching a “go team” to the site. Preliminary focus is on air traffic control communications. Circulated audio reportedly shows the tower clearing “Truck 1” (the fire truck) to cross the runway moments before the jet’s arrival, followed by urgent commands of “Stop! Stop! Stop!” just seconds before impact.

Early indications suggest low visibility and wet runway conditions may have played a role, though the exact sequence – whether during taxi after landing or in a late landing phase – remains under review. Flight tracking data confirms the aircraft (registration C-GNJZ, a roughly 20-year-old CRJ-900LR) had completed its landing roll prior to the collision.

Air Canada and Jazz Aviation issued statements confirming that emergency protocols were activated and pledging full cooperation with investigators although no official cause has been determined, and authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation pending the NTSB and FAA findings.

This rare runway incursion involving an aircraft and an emergency vehicle has once again raised questions about ground movement safety at busy U.S. airports, particularly during periods of reduced visibility or adverse weather. The incident follows a series of high-profile aviation safety concerns in recent years and will likely prompt renewed scrutiny of ground control procedures.