Fatal ground collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport
March 23, 2026
An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle after landing at New York's LaGuardia airport on Sunday evening, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. The New York Police Department has confirmed the collision, which led to closing the airport.
A New York Port Authority official confirmed that both pilots of the plane were killed in the accident involving a fire truck operated by police officers. Airport authorities said that dozens more were injured, with 41 passengers and crew transferred to a local hospital.
Most have since been released, while 9 people remain in the hospital, according to the official.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said that the airport is expected to remain shut until 2pm Eastern Time on Monday (18:00 GMT). Meanwhile, LaGuardia's website has been showing arriving planes diverting to other airports, while others supposedly returned to their place of departure.
The US National Transportation Safety Board said it was deploying technical experts to investigate what caused the crash.
En route from Montreal
The CRJ-900 plane, which was on its way from Montreal, Canada, hit the vehicle at a speed of approximately 39 kilometers (24 miles) per hours, according to Flightradar24.
Operated by Air Canada's regional partner Jazz, its planes of that kind can seat up to 76 passengers, according to the airline's website. There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane, a statement from the airline said.
Social media footage from the scene appears to show severe damage to the front nose of the aircraft, which looks to be tilting upwards.
New York City's emergency notification system said cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel can be expected in the area around the airport.
LaGuardia is a major airport and served over 30 million passengers last year, according to New York authorities.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher