NEW YORK — Two air traffic controllers at LaGuardia Airport left work approximately one hour before their scheduled shift ended on March 22. The two controllers who left early would have served as additional support staffing, leaving two controllers working in the tower at the time of the crash. At the time of the crash, one controller in the LaGuardia tower was performing two jobs while the other controller was coordinating a different emergency.

Flight 8646 was cleared to land on Runway 4 at 11:35 p.m. A firefighter aboard the truck heard an air traffic controller warn to stop, stop, stop, but did not know who it was for, according to the NTSB's preliminary report. Runway entrance lights remained on for roughly three seconds before the truck and jet collided, according to the NTSB's preliminary report. A crash-prevention system did not generate an audio or visual alert in the control tower, according to the NTSB's preliminary report.

The aircraft carried 72 passengers and four crew members. Thirty-nine people from the aircraft and two Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting officers from the truck were taken to local hospitals. Port Authority personnel and emergency responders cut a hole in the roof of the aircraft, dropped into it and retrieved its cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, Homendy said. The Air Canada Express aircraft involved in the collision was operated by Jazz Aviation LP.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the staffing and disciplinary issues surrounding the incident. He said the vast majority of air traffic controllers are great patriots — they show up for work, complete their full shift, and come back and do it all again. He added that action is necessary when individuals violate policies. He said that when a small percentage of individuals take advantage of the American taxpayer, unfairly add additional work to their fellow controllers, and impact the airspace, the department has no choice but to act.

Duffy emphasized the agency's stance on accountability. He said the department will not tolerate fraud, and is taking appropriate action to hold folks accountable and prevent unlawful practices from disrupting the traveling public. The FAA has fired more than 10 controllers for alleged timecard fraud or abuse of leave policies recently. Duffy stated LaGuardia has 33 certified controllers and seven in training, against a target of 37.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy provided context on standard operating procedures. It is common practice across the national airspace to have two controllers in the tower cab during the midnight shift. Former air traffic controller Todd Yeary noted there are unanswered questions regarding whether traffic was low, if the controllers were on leave, or if it was comp time.

Yeary stated that supervisors and managers on duty should have been covering what was going on with traffic at the time. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association stated it is actively discussing the allegations with FAA leadership.

Why It Matters

The collision resulted in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to 41 others, illustrating the potential consequences of runway incursions involving active aircraft and emergency vehicles. The incident has prompted immediate operational changes, including the outfitting of emergency vehicles at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark airports with new tracking devices to prevent similar occurrences.

The Federal Aviation Administration's characterization of the controllers' early departure as timecard fraud marks a disciplinary response, with the agency noting it has recently fired more than 10 controllers for similar alleged violations. The disparity between the current staffing level of 33 certified controllers and the target of 37 at LaGuardia points to ongoing workforce challenges within the air traffic control system.

Timeline

On March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport, killing two pilots and injuring 41 others. Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with a Port Authority fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport just before midnight on March 22.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that an Air Canada Express jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026, killing two pilots and injuring 41 others. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated LaGuardia has 33 certified controllers and seven in training, against a target of 37. Leaving early is referred to internally as an "early shove" and is a longstanding practice in the industry.

The NTSB will also look at air traffic controllers' communication training and have asked to see an FAA replay of the events via a surveillance system known as Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE), she said. Flight 8646 was cleared to land on Runway 4 at 11:35 p.m. Runway entrance lights remained on for roughly three seconds before the truck and jet collided, according to the NTSB's preliminary report.