An investigation is underway into the collision between an aircraft and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The incident occurred when Air Canada Express Flight 8646 struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle after landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday around 11:40 pm.
Video Captures Moment Of Collision
Security camera footage capturing the exact moment when an Air Canada Express aircraft collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport has emerged online. The flight, operated by Jazz Aviation, arrived from Montreal. Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the collision, while two police officers manning the fire truck were also injured and hospitalised. According to Flightradar24's data, the aircraft hit the vehicle at a speed of around 24 miles per hour (39 kmph). The video shows the aircraft moving at speed and colliding with the fire fighter truck passing by on the runway. The front part of the aircraft was heavily damaged following the collision.
Here’s CCTV footage capturing the exact moment Air Canada Express Flight AC8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900, collided with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport last night. pic.twitter.com/qxGMZzKXPD
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) March 23, 2026
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford, the weather conditions at the time of the Air Canada Express incident were moderate, with broken ceilings, rain, and visibility of 4 miles. The cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been recovered and will be investigated. The FAA in its official statement noted, "Air Canada Express Flight 8646 struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle after landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The accident occurred around 11:40 p.m. local time on Sunday, March 22. The CRJ-900 was arriving from Montreal. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB is in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates. The airport is closed. This information is preliminary and subject to change."
Audio Reveals Chaos
An audio clip from the Airport’s Air traffic control has also surfaced. In the recording accessed by CBS news, a single controller appears to be managing multiple emergencies at once before an Air Canada plane collided with a firetruck. The controller can be heard saying to a pilot, "We were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up." The audio has raised questions about the workload at the airport.
Air traffic control audio from LaGuardia Airport is raising questions about controller workload and staffing after a deadly runway collision that killed two pilots on Sunday, @krisvancleave reports. In the recording, a single controller appears to be managing multiple… pic.twitter.com/sJwlvEp7i7
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 23, 2026
Meanwhile, Michael Rousseau, President and CEO of Air Canada, on Tuesday, expressed his sorrow at the accident. In a video statement, Rousseau said that their efforts are continuing towards Air Canada passengers and crew's kin. "Today is a very somber day at Air Canada. I'm here to provide information on an accident that occurred involving an Air Canada Express aircraft. The aircraft was operated by Jazz Aviation LP, which operates flights on behalf of Air Canada. First, and most importantly, I want to express our deepest sorrow for everyone affected," he said.
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