By Micah Jonah
March 23, 2026
A regional Air Canada Express jet collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, killing both the pilot and co-pilot and leaving dozens of passengers and emergency responders injured in a shocking incident that temporarily closed one of the city’s busiest airports.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, carried 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal. According to preliminary flight data, the jet struck the fire truck at a speed of approximately 24 miles per hour (39 kilometers per hour) on Runway 4. Photos from the scene showed significant damage to the plane’s nose, which was tilted upward following the impact.
NBC News reported that the fire truck was manned by police officers responding to a separate emergency when the collision occurred. Hospital sources confirmed that a sergeant and an officer suffered broken limbs and were in stable condition.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that LaGuardia would remain closed until 2 p.m. ET on Monday, affecting dozens of flights. Flight tracking data indicated that at least 18 flights had to be diverted or returned to their origin airports.
Authorities have yet to provide official statements on the total number of injuries or the details surrounding the crash. Air Canada referred inquiries to Jazz Aviation, while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA did not immediately comment.
New York City’s emergency notification system warned residents to expect traffic delays, road closures, and emergency personnel activity in the vicinity of the airport. LaGuardia, which served over 30 million passengers in 2025, is a major hub for domestic and regional flights.
This tragic incident underscores ongoing aviation safety challenges and highlights the risks emergency responders face while performing critical duties. Investigations by the FAA and NTSB are underway to determine the cause of the collision and assess measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.
