A tragic runway collision at LaGuardia Airport has left two pilots dead and multiple passengers injured, forcing authorities to shut down flight operations at one of New York’s busiest air hubs.
According to U.S. media reports, including CNN and NBC, the pilot and co-pilot died after the aircraft struck a fire truck on the runway. At least 13 others—comprising 11 passengers and two first responders—were transported to hospital with varying degrees of injuries, ABC News reported.
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation in partnership with Air Canada, was identified as a CRJ-900 jet arriving from Montreal as Flight AC8646. Authorities said the plane collided with a firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 as the truck was responding to a separate emergency.
A preliminary passenger manifest indicated that 76 people, including four crew members, were on board at the time of the incident.
“The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation,” the Port Authority said in a statement, confirming that emergency protocols were immediately activated.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has deployed a “go team” to the scene to determine the cause of the crash.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft was taxiing on the runway when it struck the rescue vehicle as it crossed its path.
Authorities warned travelers to expect widespread disruptions. New York’s emergency management agency advised the public to anticipate cancellations, traffic delays, and increased emergency activity around the airport vicinity.
The incident comes amid ongoing operational challenges at LaGuardia, including recent weather-related delays and staffing shortages linked to federal funding issues. Located in Queens, the airport handles tens of millions of passengers annually and recently underwent an $8 billion redevelopment to modernize its facilities.
The crash adds to a string of aviation incidents across the United States, including a deadly mid-air collision near Washington last year that claimed 67 lives.
Investigations into the runway accident are ongoing.
