The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that tracking technologies at LaGuardia Airport failed during a collision between an Air Canada Express jet and a fire truck, resulting in two pilot fatalities and multiple injuries.
Collision Details
- On March 23, 2026, an Air Canada Express CRJ-900, operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a Port Authority fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
- Both pilots were killed, and 39 of the 76 passengers and crew were injured, with six still hospitalized as of March 24.
Technology and Surveillance Failures
- The airport's ground surveillance system did not generate an alert warning of the fire truck's proximity to the runway.
- The fire truck involved lacked a transponder, which would have transmitted its location to air traffic control.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has encouraged airports to equip fire trucks with transponders to improve tracking at busy airports.
Investigation and Staffing Concerns
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy noted longstanding concerns about air traffic controller staffing at LaGuardia, with only two controllers on duty during the overnight shift, meeting FAA norms but potentially inadequate.
- The investigation is reviewing communications between the landing aircraft, the controller, and the fire truck, as well as task division among controllers.
- The NTSB can issue non-binding safety recommendations to the FAA, which manages U.S. air traffic control.
Incident Timeline
- The collision occurred approximately 20 seconds after the jet was cleared to land, highlighting the rapid sequence of events.