USA – Two Dead, Dozens Injured After Air Canada Aircraft Collides With Fire Truck at LaGuardia

March 24, 2026

Crash and Immediate Impact
A late-night landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport turned deadly Sunday when an Air Canada flight collided with an airport fire truck on the runway. The crash killed the pilot and copilot, injured numerous passengers, and forced a temporary shutdown of the busy airport.

The incident occurred around 11:40 p.m. as a Jazz Aviation aircraft operating for Air Canada touched down and struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle. The truck had been heading to a separate emergency elsewhere on the airfield.

Passengers and Crew
Air Canada confirmed that 72 passengers and four crew members were on board. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said 41 passengers and crew were taken to local hospitals, with 32 discharged shortly afterward. Two firefighters in the struck vehicle were also hospitalized and are stable.

Emergency Response and Airport Closure
Officials said emergency protocols were activated immediately after the collision. LaGuardia Airport was closed overnight and is expected to remain shut until at least 2 p.m. Monday to allow for response efforts and a full investigation.

Air traffic control recordings reveal the chain of events. Moments before the crash, controllers granted the fire truck permission to cross the runway to reach United Flight 2384, which had aborted takeoff due to a warning light and a cabin odor that sickened crew members.

Seconds later, controllers urgently tried to halt the truck: “Truck One, stop, stop, stop!” Shortly after, the controller informed the Air Canada crew they had collided with a vehicle and instructed them to remain in position as first responders approached.

FlightRadar24 data shows the Air Canada aircraft had been traveling roughly 130 mph when it struck the truck.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the scene early Monday. The Port Authority confirmed the collision remains under active review.

Wider Aviation Disruptions
By early Monday morning, more than 500 flights at LaGuardia had been canceled, according to FlightAware. The temporary airport shutdown added further strain to an already stressed U.S. travel system.

USA