LaGuardia latest: 2 dead, 40+ injured after Air Canada jet collision | LIVE coverage
NEW YORK CITY - LaGuardia Airport in Queens will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday after two pilots were killed in an overnight collision when Air Canada Express Flight 8646 struck a rescue vehicle after landing.
- MORE: LaGuardia plane crash: What we know about the victims
- MORE: Listen to air traffic control audio during fatal LaGuardia crash
- MORE: Track LaGuardia airport delays, Newark ground stop and TSA wait times after crash
Listen: 'Stop stop stop' heard from air traffic control during LGA crash
Two pilots were killed at New York’s LaGuardia Airport when an Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on the runway. Newly released audio from the control tower documents the exact moment of the collision.
Latest updates
- According to preliminary information from the FAA, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle after landing on Runway 4 around 11:45 p.m. Sunday.
- The CRJ-900 jet had arrived from Montreal.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted on X, saying, in part: "I have been briefed on the tragic collision that took place at LaGuardia Airport late last night."
- "I am on my way to LaGuardia Airport now in response to last night’s horrific crash involving Air Canada Express 8646 and a fire truck that killed two pilots," USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy said in part in a post on X.
The backstory:
Air traffic control audio captured the chaotic moments leading up to the collision. A Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) unit identified as "truck 1 and company," requested permission to cross the runway. The tower cleared the vehicle to cross Runway 4 at Delta before urgently issuing multiple commands to stop.
Aviation expert says 'something went really wrong' at LaGuardia airport
Aviation expert and retired captain for United Airlines, Steve Arroyo, describes what may have caused the plane crash that killed 2 pilots and injured dozens more at LaGuardia airport on Monday.
"Stop stop stop stop stop… stop truck 1 stop," the controller can be heard saying.
Shortly after, operations at the airport were halted. "LaGuardia Airport is closed at this time, no aircraft in or out," a transmission states. Port Authority officials say the crash involved a PAPD emergency vehicle that had been responding to another aircraft reporting an odor.
What we know about the victims
By the numbers:
In total, 41 people, including passengers, crew members and PAPD officers were transported to nearby hospitals.
Passenger describes LaGuardia Airport plane crash
A passenger who was onboard during the plane crash at LaGuardia airport says that a lot of people got hurt, several banging their heads.
Officials say 32 have already been released, while several others remain hospitalized with serious injuries. The PAPD sergeant and officer inside the crash vehicle are in stable condition.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with teams already on scene and additional investigators expected to arrive later Monday. The FAA is also assisting.
LaGuardia Airport closure
What's next:
LaGuardia Airport remains closed as the investigation continues and crews work to clear the scene. Officials say the closure could extend beyond the initial 2 p.m. estimate.
Emergency personnel respond to an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 after colliding with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York, on March 23, 2026. Air Canada Express flight AC8646 originated from Montreal and collided with the fire tr
Officials caution that this information is preliminary and subject to change.
The Source: This report is based on information from LaGuardia Airport.