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Both pilots killed after passenger jet hits ground fire truck at New York's LaGuardia airport
An Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, leading to a temporary shutdown of the airport in New York.
The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after the aircraft collided with a firefighting vehicle while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late on Sunday, in an incident that forced the closure of the busy airport and left dozens of others injured, according to US media reports and authorities.
1. Air Canada Express plane collided with ground vehicle
An Air Canada Express plane struck a Port Authority ground vehicle shortly after landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night. The aircraft, operated by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz Aviation, had arrived from Montreal and was involved in the collision on Runway 4.
2. Pilot and co-pilot killed, dozens injured
The pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft were killed in the crash. Dozens of others were injured in the incident. The fire truck involved in the collision was reportedly manned by police officers; a sergeant and an officer sustained broken limbs and were in stable condition at a hospital.
3. Aircraft was landing after flight from Montreal
The CRJ-900 aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, based on a preliminary passenger list subject to confirmation. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft landed at around 11:37 p.m. local time and struck the vehicle at about 24 miles per hour during runway operations.
4. Airport shut down and flights diverted
Following the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a ground stop and closed LaGuardia Airport to incoming flights to facilitate emergency response and investigation. Flight tracking data indicated that at least 18 flights were diverted to other airports or returned to their origin.
5. Visible damage to aircraft, investigation underway
Photos taken after the incident showed significant damage to the nose of the aircraft, which appeared tilted upward. Emergency crews responded to the scene and authorities launched an investigation into the collision. Officials did not immediately provide further details on the cause of the accident.
LaGuardia Airport, which handled over 30 million passengers in 2025, remained closed for several hours after the crash as authorities assessed the situation and began a formal investigation into the incident.
