On the night of March 22, a ground collision occurred on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport. Jazz Aviation operated Air Canada Express Flight 8646 (a CRJ-900) collided with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle after landing. The crash killed both the captain and first officer and injured 41 others. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation, and the airport was closed until 2:00 p.m. on March 23.
Port Authority Executive Director Katherine Garcia said at a press conference that the fire vehicle was responding to a cabin odor report on another United Airlines flight when the collision occurred while crossing the runway. The accident left two pilots dead, 39 passengers and crew members on board injured and hospitalized, and two personnel on the fire vehicle with minor injuries. The deceased pilots were long-serving members based in Canada.
The flight had departed from Montreal with 72 passengers and 4 crew members on board. The incident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. local time, after the aircraft had landed and was taxiing on the runway.
According to Reuters, some of the 41 injured sustained serious injuries, though most were not life-threatening.
In an official statement, the NTSB confirmed it is deploying a rapid response “Go Team” to investigate the collision involving Flight 8646 on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy will serve as the on-site spokesperson, accompanied by board member John DeLisi. The investigation will include site examination, flight data recorder analysis, radio communications review, and personnel interviews, and is expected to take weeks to months.
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The NTSB emphasized that this is only a preliminary report, with a full report to be released after evidence analysis is complete.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a ground stop, diverting all flights to nearby airports such as Newark Liberty International Airport. The airport was expected to remain closed until at least 2:00 p.m. to ensure the safety of the investigation. The incident occurred during the spring break travel peak, causing widespread cancellations and delays.
Kathy Hochul expressed condolences and confirmed cooperation with the NTSB investigation. Air Canada stated it has activated a family assistance program.
The Port Authority reiterated full cooperation with the NTSB, providing all records and on-site support. More details will be released at an appropriate time.
LaGuardia Airport, a major domestic hub handling over 16 million passengers annually, is expected to yield key lessons on runway incursion prevention once the investigation concludes.
The airport had already been experiencing disruptions due to a partial U.S. federal government shutdown, which affected Transportation Security Administration (TSA) funding. Many TSA workers, unpaid, had taken leave or resigned, leading to severe security checkpoint delays during the spring break rush—often stretching to several hours and even into parking areas, with many travelers missing flights despite arriving early.
