What We Know About the Plane Crash That Claimed the Lives of 2 Air Canada Pilots

 Black boxes have been recovered from the plane

Two Air Canada pilots are dead after the jet they were landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport collided with a fire truck late on March 22.

The flight operated by Jazz Aviation, the regional branch of Air Canada, was carrying 76 passengers when it landed and struck a fire truck on the runway, resulting in injuries to 41 people.

Here’s what we know so far about the tragic incident.

What Happened?

Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, departed Montréal-Trudeau International Airport at 10:12 p.m. for New York City after a delay of more than two hours.

The jet struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport while attempting to land at approximately 11:45 p.m., according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The fire truck was crossing Runway 4 to respond to a separate emergency on a United Airlines flight that had aborted its takeoff after reporting a strange odour onboard, Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, confirmed during a March 23 press conference.

One air traffic controller could be heard on a radio transmission giving clearance to a vehicle to cross part of the tarmac, then trying to stop it after realizing the Jazz jet had already received clearance to land.

Recordings captured a controller yelling, “Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” in the moments before the plane struck the back end of the truck.

Footage capturing the aftermath of the crash showed the jet angled upward, its cockpit and front galley demolished. A heavily damaged neon yellow fire truck was seen nearby, laying on its side.

Air traffic control dispatched additional aircraft rescue and firefighting trucks to the scene, and the New York City fire department and police department also responded, Garcia told reporters.

The collision caused a full suspension of ground activities and the closure of LaGuardia Airport through the afternoon of March 23, leading to the cancellation of more than 600 flights.

Who Was Hurt?

Garcia said all 72 passengers and four crew members had been accounted for, but the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft were killed in the collision.

“Sadly, the two pilots are confirmed deceased and notifications are being made by Air Canada’s care team at this time,” Garcia told reporters.

Air Canada has not released the names of the pilots.

The two Port Authority employees in the fire truck suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash and 41 people were taken to two hospitals in Queens, Garcia said. Nine currently remain in care, including some in serious condition. The remaining 32 people have been released.

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with support from the FAA and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which has sent investigators to assist in analyzing the crash.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said on March 23 that the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have been recovered from the incident site and brought to Washington for lab analysis.

Homendy added that it is too early to provide specific answers about how the incident occurred, but more information will likely be released on March 24.

There is currently a shortage of some 3,000 controllers across the American aviation system, forcing mandatory overtime.

Canadian Transport Minister Steven McKinnon told reporters during a March 23 press conference in Ottawa that Canada will work closely with U.S. authorities to investigate the incident.

“We have a team that is on site… which includes transportation safety officials as well as a Transport Canada advisor,” he said, noting that he has spoken with his American counterpart, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, to pledge cooperation.

“We are obviously extremely shocked and saddened by the incident that occurred at La Guardia Airport,” he told reporters. “I want to send my condolences and those of Transport Canada, and certainly those of all of the Government of Canada, to the families of the victims, to the families of those who were injured, to, obviously those themselves who were injured.”

Duffy said in an X post that he was headed to LaGuardia and asked everyone to keep “the victims, families and response teams in your prayers.”

LaGuardia is one of the three primary airports that caters to New York City and the surrounding area. Situated in the borough of Queens, it is positioned at the edge of Flushing Bay, to the east of Manhattan, and features two main intersecting runways. Its closeness to Manhattan means it experiences heavy traffic and manages a large volume of domestic flights.

LaGuardia was 19th busiest in 2024 out of more than 500 airports in the United States, with more than 16.7 million passengers boarding there, according to a 2025 FAA database.

‘Deeply Saddening’

Prime Minister Mark Carney called the incident “deeply saddening,” in a March 23 social media post.

“Canadian officials are working closely with their U.S. counterparts on the ground as the investigation continues,” he said on X. “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted.”

U.S. President Donald Trump called the fatal collision “terrible” while speaking on the tarmac of Palm Beach International Airport, and suggested the crash was due to human error.

“They made a mistake. It’s a dangerous business,” he said, referring to the aviation industry.

Quebec Premier François Legault also took to social media to express his condolences to those involved in the crash.

“I learned with dismay of the tragic accident that occurred at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, involving an Air Canada flight from Montreal,” he wrote. “My thoughts are with the families of the deceased pilot and co-pilot, as well as all those affected by this event.”

Canadian Ambassador to the United States Mark Wiseman said he was “deeply saddened” by the collision at LaGuardia.

“My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives and with those injured,” he said on X. “Our consular team is working hard to support those affected.”

Air Canada president and CEO Michael Rousseau posted a video to the company’s website to offer condolences and said the airline is focusing its efforts on the needs of passengers and crew members.

He said he is deeply saddened by the loss of the two Jazz Aviation employees.

“We are working with the authorities to confirm the number of injuries and if there are any other fatalities,” he added.

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