'Stop, Stop, Stop' — Then a Crash: Both Pilots Killed as Air Canada Flight AC8646 Collides With Fire Truck on LaGuardia Runway

Air Canada Express Flight AC8646 from Montreal struck a Port Authority firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport at 11:40 PM — both pilots killed, 41 hospitalised, airport closed, NTSB go-team deployed, and an air traffic controller heard saying "I messed up."

The Three Words That Came Too Late

"Truck One, stop, stop, stop!" OpIndia That is what the air traffic controller at LaGuardia Airport said into his radio in the final seconds before disaster. He had just cleared a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle to cross Runway 4. An Air Canada Express jet from Montreal was landing on the same runway at the same moment. The truck did not stop in time. The plane did not stop in time. And at 11:40 PM on Sunday, March 22, 2026, one of the most avoidable aviation tragedies in recent American history unfolded in Queens, New York.

Both pilots are dead. Forty-one people were hospitalised. LaGuardia Airport — one of the busiest in the United States — was shut down until at least 2 PM Monday. And the controller, heard on audio recorded in the minutes after the crash, said three words that will define the investigation: "I messed up."

What Happened — The Full Sequence

The audio of the seconds before Flight AC8646 touches down on LaGuardia's Runway 4 is deeply instructive of the sequence of events. Seconds before, a United Airlines flight reports a strange odour on board, prompting an emergency response by the airport's rescue and firefighting team. Multiple vehicles leave the airport fire station and approach Runway 4. As required, they request permission to cross the runway from controllers. That permission is granted and the vehicles begin to accelerate. M9.news

To get from the airport fire station to the United plane, the fire truck was granted permission to cross the runway where the Air Canada plane was landing, according to the air traffic control audio. Seconds later, the controller urgently orders the truck to stop, before saying there has been a collision on the field. OpIndia

Air Canada Flight AC8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, had just arrived from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. The aircraft was decelerating on Runway 4 when it struck a Port Authority Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicle near Taxiway E. LatestLY

The nose of the aircraft absorbed the full force of the impact — the cockpit was destroyed. Photos show the jet with its cockpit destroyed, wires and flight controls dangling out from the fuselage. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side. M9.news

The Dead — Both Pilots, Both Canadian

Kathryn Garcia, Port Authority Executive Director, confirmed at a news conference early Monday: "Sadly, the two pilots are confirmed deceased and notifications are being made by Air Canada's care team at this time." Free Press Journal Both pilots were based in Canada. Their names have not been released pending notification of next of kin. The NYC Medical Examiner's Office was on scene handling their deaths.

The nose was low, so the pilots caught the full force of the impact. DNP INDIA The passengers, seated behind the cockpit, fared significantly better — though 41 were hospitalised, with several sustaining serious injuries. Nine people remained in hospital, with some in serious condition. Thirty-two were eventually released. M9.news Two Port Authority police officers travelling in the fire truck were also injured — a sergeant and an officer — both with broken limbs but in stable condition.

The Numbers — 76 On Board, 41 Hospitalised

Flight AC8646 was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. DNP INDIA The total on board was 76 people. The plane was a Bombardier CRJ-900 — a twin-engine regional jet widely used on short-haul North American routes. The flight took off from Montreal Trudeau International Airport shortly after 10:30 p.m. ET and arrived at LaGuardia about an hour later. The plane was going about 130 miles per hour just before it hit the fire truck, according to the last data point collected before the collision. OpIndia

An unaccompanied minor on board was reunited with their family after the evacuation. Families seeking information about passengers were directed to Air Canada's emergency helpline: 1-800-961-7099.

The Air Traffic Controller — One Man, Two Emergencies

The on-duty controller had been working on his own at the time of the accident, overseeing both ground and tower operations. The controller was reportedly "dealing with another emergency at the time," which the fire truck had been dispatched to. India.com

Air traffic audio reveals the moments after the collision, with the controller saying "I messed up." In the audio, one controller says minutes after the crash, "That wasn't good to watch." A controller is heard replying: "Yeah, I know. I was here. I tried to reach out…We were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up." The other person can be heard saying, "Nah man, you did the best you could." NewsGram

Standard procedure would require he be relieved of his position — the very first step in what will be a long investigation. M9.news

LaGuardia Shut — Hundreds of Flights Diverted

The FAA issued a ground stop for all arriving and departing flights at LaGuardia. Reopening was estimated at no earlier than 2:00 PM ET Monday. Hundreds of flights were diverted to Newark and JFK airports. LatestLY Travellers were urged to check flight status before heading to the airport. NYPD cordoned off surrounding roads, with all highway exits into LaGuardia also closed.

The collision occurred following an evening featuring bands of heavy rain across the New York City area. Video footage from the scene showed water on the tarmac, but it wasn't clear whether weather conditions played a role. Onmanorama

NTSB Go-Team Deployed — Investigation Begins

The NTSB said it is "launching a go team to investigate the March 22 Jazz Aviation, Air Canada Express Flight 8646, CRJ900, airplane that collided with a fire truck on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport." The team, chaired by Jennifer Homendy, accompanied by Member John DeLeeuw, arrived at the airport Monday. NewsGram

The FAA and Port Authority Police Department are also conducting parallel investigations. The NTSB typically produces preliminary reports within weeks, with a final report in 12 to 24 months.

A Pattern That Cannot Continue

The incident Sunday night also came on the 32nd anniversary of a USAir flight taking off from LaGuardia in wintry conditions, crashing into Flushing Bay and killing 27 people. India.com It is the latest in a series of runway incursion incidents at American airports — just weeks after a United Airlines Boeing 737 collided with a de-icing vehicle at Denver International Airport. Last year also saw a UPS cargo plane crash after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky.

The LaGuardia crash raises the most urgent possible questions about runway incursion prevention, single-controller workload management during simultaneous emergencies, and whether the FAA's staffing crisis — exacerbated by the ongoing partial government shutdown that has seen TSA absences soar — has left America's airspace dangerously under-supervised.

Both pilots gave their lives doing what they had done hundreds of times before — bringing a plane in to land safely. A truck on the runway took that from them. The investigation must ensure it never happens again.