Air Canada Express jet collides with fire truck at LaGuardia, killing two pilots

An Air Canada Express regional jet struck a Port Authority fire truck on the runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, killing both pilots and injuring 43 passengers and crew. The collision occurred at 11:47 p.m. ET on March 22, 2026, when Flight 8646 from Montreal hit an aircraft rescue firefighting vehicle that had been cleared to cross Runway 4. LaGuardia closed immediately and reopened March 24, but hundreds of flights were canceled or diverted to JFK and Newark.

The NTSB is leading the investigation with preliminary findings expected in 10–30 days. Travelers with existing LaGuardia bookings through March 26 face residual delays and should confirm flight status before heading to the airport — Air Canada is processing rebookings and refunds under US DOT rules.

A fatal runway collision at one of America’s busiest airports has killed two pilots and forced a major operational shutdown that rippled across the Northeast corridor.

Jazz Aviation Flight 8646, operating as Air Canada Express, struck Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Truck 1 head-on at approximately 24 mph during its landing rollout on Runway 4. The Bombardier CRJ-900 was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members from Montreal when it collided with the fire truck, which had been responding to a separate rejected takeoff incident and was cleared by air traffic control to cross the active runway.

Both pilots died on impact. Thirty-nine passengers and crew sustained injuries, some serious — including a flight attendant who was ejected from the aircraft. Two Port Authority firefighters in the truck suffered non-life-threatening injuries. By March 24, all 32 hospitalized passengers had been released.

LaGuardia Airport closed immediately after the incident and remained shuttered through the overnight hours, reopening March 24 with residual delays as wreckage was cleared and runway inspections completed. The closure triggered cascading cancellations and diversions — hundreds of flights were rerouted to JFK and Newark, stranding passengers across the region.

What the investigation has revealed so far

The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a go-team to LaGuardia within hours and is leading the investigation with support from the FAA and Port Authority. Preliminary details show air traffic control instructed “Truck 1, stop” moments before the collision, but the fire truck was already on the runway when Flight 8646 touched down.

The fire truck had been cleared to cross Runway 4 while responding to a separate incident — a rejected takeoff by another aircraft. The sequence of events that led to both the fire truck and the landing jet occupying the same runway at the same time is now the focus of the probe. Voice recordings from the tower and cockpit voice recorder data are being analyzed.

Jazz Aviation, which operates regional flights on behalf of Air Canada, confirmed the incident and is cooperating with investigators. The airline has begun notifying passengers on affected flights and processing claims for those injured or stranded by the closure.

How runway safety oversight works at major US airports

The FAA certifies LaGuardia’s operations and aircraft rescue firefighting capabilities under 14 CFR Part 139, which mandates annual airport audits and quarterly ARFF response drills. Air Canada Express, operated by Jazz Aviation, holds Part 121 certification from Transport Canada with FAA foreign operations oversight conducted through IOSA and IATA audits every two years.

When a fatal incident occurs, the NTSB activates a go-team under 49 USC §11301 and issues a preliminary report within 30 days. The FAA’s runway safety program — the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) system — tracks aircraft and ground vehicles in real time at major airports like LaGuardia, but the system relies on controllers acting on the alerts.

This incident will trigger a systemic review of runway incursion protocols, particularly the coordination between air traffic control and emergency vehicles responding to separate incidents on active runways. No grounding orders have been issued for Jazz Aviation or Air Canada Express — the investigation focuses on operational procedures, not aircraft airworthiness.

If you have a LaGuardia booking or are currently stranded

LaGuardia has reopened, but residual delays and cancellations will persist through March 26 as the airport works through the backlog.

• Existing Air Canada booking to or from LaGuardia: Call Air Canada’s hotline at 1-888-247-2262 for rebooking or a full refund. Check your flight status at aircanada.com before heading to the airport — many flights are still being rescheduled.
• Currently in transit or diverted to JFK/Newark: Use airline lounges if you have access, and claim meals or hotel accommodations through the gate agent. Rebook via the Air Canada app or at the customer service desk — online rebooking is faster than phone queues.
• Planning a new trip in the next 72 hours: Book through JFK or Newark instead of LaGuardia. Both airports have available capacity, and you’ll avoid the residual congestion. Monitor FlightAware or Flightradar24 for real-time LaGuardia delay data if you must use that airport.
• US DOT refund rights: If your flight is canceled or delayed more than 3 hours, you are entitled to a full refund under US DOT rules — no exceptions. File claims directly with Air Canada if the airline does not proactively offer a refund.