TORONTO – Air Canada Express flight operated by Jazz Aviation collided with a fire truck shortly after landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The crash killed the pilot and co-pilot, triggered a large emergency response, and forced the airport to temporarily shut down as investigations began.
The ill-fated aircraft, an Air Canada Express flight operated by regional carrier Jazz Aviation, just arrived from Montreal and was carrying 76 people on board, including four crew members. According to authorities, the aircraft struck a firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at approximately 11:40 pm local time while the emergency vehicle was responding to a separate incident on the airfield.
An Air Canada 🇨🇦 Express plane AZZ 646 (CRJ-900) collided with a ground vehicle at New York's La Guardia Airport 🇺🇸, flight tracking website FlightRadar24 said in post on X late on Monday.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for… pic.twitter.com/ZgYAKdQCfN
— Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) March 23, 2026
The impact caused severe damage to the nose and cockpit of the CRJ-900 aircraft, with dramatic images showing the wreckage surrounded by flashing emergency vehicles and first responders rushing to the scene. Despite the presence of emergency teams, the collision proved fatal for the two pilots in the cockpit.
US aviation authorities ordered all flights grounded at LaGuardia, warning that disruptions could last for an extended period. The airport was fully closed to allow emergency crews to operate safely and to enable investigators to begin a thorough examination of the crash.
Officials said emergency response protocols were activated immediately after the collision. Preliminary tracking information suggested the aircraft was traveling along the runway when it struck the fire truck, which was crossing its path at the time.
The incident triggered widespread disruption beyond the airport itself. Emergency management officials urged the public to expect flight cancellations, road closures, heavy traffic delays, and significant congestion in surrounding areas, advising travelers to avoid the vicinity where possible.
At the time of the accident, LaGuardia was already experiencing operational strain due to poor weather conditions and staffing shortages linked to federal funding issues, which had been causing longer-than-usual security wait times and delays for passengers.
LaGuardia Airport, located in Queens, is one of New York’s busiest aviation hubs, serving tens of millions of passengers each year and having recently undergone a major $8 billion redevelopment completed in 2024. Despite these upgrades, the airport now finds itself at the center of a serious safety investigation following one of the most alarming ground incidents in recent memory.
The tragedy adds to growing list of aviation incidents and near misses reported in recent months across US, raising renewed concerns about runway safety, ground coordination, and emergency response protocols at major airports. Authorities are expected to release further findings as the investigation continues.
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