Latest updates: 2 pilots dead, dozens injured after jet crashes into fire truck at LaGuardia; airport reopens

Investigation of fatal LaGuardia collision begins

Investigators Monday were analyzing flight data recorders from a regional Air Canada plane that crashed into a Port Authority fire truck on a LaGuardia Airport runway, killing the two pilots and injuring dozens — including a flight attendant ejected while strapped to her seat — as questions remained about the role of air traffic controllers in the collision.

Nearly a full day after the crash, the wreckage of the Bombardier jet, with cables and debris dangling from its mangled cockpit, remained on the runway; its crumpled nose sheared off and pointing toward the sky.

Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the federal probe into the crash, said she expects information from the flight recorders to be shared Tuesday after they were plucked from the plane through a hole drilled into the top of the craft.

"We have a lot of data," she said in an airport new conference, including the staffing of the air traffic control tower on duty at the time of the collision. The team, she said, will examine what's left of the plane, which touched down in mist and fog coming from Montreal, and the fire truck, scattered over Runway Four.

"There is a tremendous amount of debris," Homendy said of the crash site, adding that it will be days before the runway can reopen.

Among the focus points of the investigation, experts said, will be the role of the air traffic controller who directed the truck onto the tarmac.

Only moments before the ferocious impact, which demolished the front of the plane, an air traffic controller can be heard on airport communications, recorded on ATC.com, frantically pleading with the truck to stop before the audio abruptly cuts out. When the audio returns minutes later, the controller appears to acknowledge the error, blaming himself for the collision.

"We were dealing with an emergency earlier," the controller said. "I messed up."

The crash sent more than 40 people to the hospital, according to officials and family members.

The vehicle, occupied by a Port Authority sergeant and officer — both of whom survived the collision — was on the tarmac just before midnight responding to another plane reporting an odor issue onboard.

The crash, which temporarily shut down all flights at one of the nation's busiest airports before resuming after 2 p.m., is the first known aviation death at LaGuardia in 34 years.

Port Authority union asks for patience from public

The Port Authority union released a statement asking the public not to "rush to judgment" regarding the crash.

"We pray for the speedy recovery of Port Authority Police Officer Adrian Baez and all the injured passengers on board the Air Canada flight. The Port Authority Police bravely put themselves in danger every time they answer the call of duty to help save lives," the statement said.

"We ask that the public refrain from any rush to judgment while this investigation takes its course. We will have no further comments until the investigation is
complete," said the statement, signed by Robert Zafonte, president of the Port Authority Sergeants Benevolent Association.

NTSB chair: 'It's gonna take some time' before LaGuardia runway reopens

National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Jennifer Homendy could not say Monday evening how long the LaGuardia Airport runway where a fatal crash occurred would remain closed.

“It’s gonna take some time…. There is a lot of debris," she told reporters.

Homendy called the crash, which killed the plane's two pilots, a "terrible tragedy."

Questions have been raised about how many air traffic controllers were on duty when the crash occurred. She declined to give specifics but said typically, an air traffic controller is removed from duty and will be interviewed after such an incident.

NTSB chairwoman updates on LaGuardia crash

National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said at a press conference Monday evening that she expects information from the flight recorders to be shared Tuesday.

Homendy, speaking at LaGuardia Airport, said about 25 specialists were expected to be on site, in addition to personnel at the NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C. The first team members began to arrive at 3:10 a.m. Monday, she said. Canadian aviation officials are en route.

Homendy said there is a “tremendous amount of debris” in the vicinity of the crash site, as well as hazardous material. To get to the flight data reporter and voice recorder, a hole had to be created in the plane roof.

She said the NTSB team will look into the plane operator, components of the plane itself and the wreckage. There will be an air traffic control investigative group and another looking at airport operations, she said. The NTSB will also review surveillance video, she said.

She declined to provide specifics about staffing at the air traffic control tower or whether a flight attendant was ejected from the plane, as has been reported by other media outlets.

Aviation expert breaks down the fatal collision at LaGuardia

Port Authority officers hurt in LaGuardia crash ID'd

The occupants of the fire truck involved in Sunday's fatal crash at LaGuardia Airport have been identified as Port Authority police Sgt. Michael Orsillo and Officer Adrian Baez, according to Port Authority spokesman Tom Topousis.

Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said at Monday's press conference that an officer and a sergeant were hospitalized. One of them will be released later Monday afternoon while the other will be remain hospitalized overnight for observation, she said.

Newsday staff reporters Lorena Mongelli, John Asbury and Matthew Chayes contributed to this report.

Duffy: Reports of one controller working during crash are 'inaccurate'

Sean Duffy, the U.S. transportation secretary, said at a press conference Monday that reports there was only one air traffic controller working when the crash occurred at LaGuardia Airport are "inaccurate."

The airport has 33 air traffic controllers certified, and seven in training. The goal is to have 37 air traffic controllers, he said.

Duffy declined to say whether the staffing Sunday night was satisfactory but noted, "LaGuardia is a well-staffed airport."

Transportation secretary: We're working 'our hearts off' to ensure air travel is safe

Sean Duffy, the U.S. secretary of transportation, said at a press conference Monday afternoon at LaGuardia Airport that he had visited the site of the crash.

“It's incredibly sad. It’s troubling," he said. "And I just want to let America know that we are working our hearts off to make sure that when people travel, whether by air or car or air, that they travel safely. And we put on precautions and policies to make sure that you are safe when you travel."

Duffy urged air passengers to wear their seat belts, citing the crash.

Duffy said he had spoken with President Donald Trump and the transport administrator of Canada. He also noted that the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation may takes months, if not up to a year, to conclude.

FAA: Four 'runway incursions' at LaGuardia in 2025

Experts say that when collisions happen between aircraft and vehicles on the ground, they are usually minor.

In October, a low-speed collision occurred when the wing tip of one Delta Airlines plane collided with the fuselage of another as both were taxiing. No one was injured, and an NTSB investigation is continuing.

The FAA keeps a database of “runway incursions,” which occur not on taxiways but on the landing strip. It classifies incidents from A (the most serious — an accident or near-accident) to E (the least serious).

Last year, no incidents at major New York area airports exceeded a “C”. There were four in this class at LaGuardia Airport and one each at Kennedy and Newark Liberty airports.

Some were due to errors by controllers, while others were due to errors by pilots or vehicle drivers.

In January 2025 at LaGuardia, a pilot mistakenly entered the runway without authorization when another flight was landing. The controller gave the landing aircraft a "go-around" order with 0.8 miles left in their final approach.

In 2024, there were six C-class runway incursions at Kennedy, five at Newark, one at Long Island MacArthur and four at LaGuardia.

Port Authority: Expect residual delays, cancellations as LaGuardia Airport reopens

LaGuardia Airport's closure has been lifted, according to Federal Aviation Administration.

The Port Authority had alerted travelers in an email of the reopening of the airport, which was shut down following the crash involving an Air Canada plane and a Port Authority firefighting and rescue vehicle late Sunday night.

“As operations resume, travelers should expect residual delays and cancellations,” the agency said in its message. “Travelers are strongly encouraged to check with their carrier before departing for the airport.”

Air Canada employees leave hospital after crash

Three Air Canada employees left NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst on Monday afternoon.

The employees, wearing red scarves and maple leaf knit caps, declined to comment as they walked out of the hospital, referring any questions to the airline.

One man gave a thumbs up before walking down the hospital ramp and entering a waiting van.

A Port Authority police vehicle has remained parked outside the Elmhurst emergency room through most of the day, after several people from the impacted flight were brought to the hospital.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement, “ My heart goes out to the families of the two pilots, Canadian pilots — certainly a very tragic outcome — and also the dozens of individuals who were injured, some seriously, some have already been discharged in the hospital."

Air traffic controllers not impacted by DHS dispute

Air traffic controllers are still being paid despite the partial government shutdown, which has resulted in longer than normal wait times at airports across the country.

About 50,000 employees of the Transportation Security Administration, which handles security checkpoints, have been working without pay due to the shutdown that started Feb. 14.

Democrats have refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security, TSA's parent agency, unless it agrees to reforms of its ongoing immigration crackdown. Democrats have, however, offered to fund the TSA as a standalone entity.

Air traffic controllers are employed by the Federal Aviation Administration, which is part of the federal Department of Transportation.

Travelers entering LaGuardia Airport ahead of 2 p.m. scheduled reopening

A wave of travelers entered LaGuardia’s Terminal B on Monday afternoon, ahead of the airport’s scheduled reopening at 2 p.m.

By 1 p.m., security lines had a wait of seven minutes. For travelers with TSA PreCheck, the wait time was three minutes.

TSA agents directed travelers where to go and to have their boarding passes out at security gates.

Meanwhile, several people who were stranded due to the crash remained resting on the floor or on benches.

Flight cancellations and delays reported at area airports

The shutdown of LaGuardia Airport, along with TSA personnel shortages caused by the lapse in federal funding and poor weather, combined to worsen travel conditions at other area airports.

FlightAware.com, which tracks airline disruptions, reported 117 flight cancellations at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports, and another 68 delays.

Qsensor, which also tracks airport conditions, reported an average wait time of 140 minutes — up substantially from the usual 11 minutes — at JFK's TSA PreCheck.

Trump calls fatal crash 'terrible'

President Donald Trump on Monday called the fatal collision at LaGuardia Airport “terrible.”

“They made a mistake,” Trump told reporters, without elaborating, at Palm Beach International Airport before departing for an event in Memphis, Tennessee.

“It's a dangerous business," he said. "That's terrible.”

After his brief remarks, Trump boarded Air Force One.

Mamdani: City working with authorities

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on X that he had been briefed on the crash late Sunday.

He posted that the NTSB is investigating the incident and that city is in close contact with federal, state, and local authorities.

“I am grateful to our first responders, whose swift actions saved lives,” Mamdani said.

The mayor noted that Air Canada, has set up a hotline for friends and families of affected passengers: 1-800-961-7099.

He said LaGuardia Airport remains closed and the Port Authority has advised travelers to check with their airline for the latest flight information before coming to the airport.

Mamdani was expected to visit the airport Monday afternoon for a briefing with Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.

Schumer: We owe it to the pilots 'to find out exactly how this happened'

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Monday he’s spoken by phone with National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and has been advised by her that a team of investigators is headed to LaGuardia airport.

“Two pilots lost their lives and dozens of New Yorkers were injured, and we owe it to them and their families to find out exactly how this happened,” said Schumer, the Senate minor leader. “I will be watching like a hawk to make sure the NTSB and local authorities get to the bottom of this.”

Earlier this morning, the NTSB announced it was dispatching a “go-team,” a rapid-response group of technical experts deployed to major transportation accidents across aviation.

NTSB officials expect to hold a news conference later Monday, but the exact time has not yet been set.

Experts: Tower audio suggests possible understaffing

Two aviation experts told Newsday that the air traffic controller who gave permission to the firefighting truck to enter the runway may have been handling tasks normally meant for two people.

"Normally, in an operation like this, one controller is working the ground traffic, the vehicles, the taxiing aircraft, [while] another controller is working the arriving and departing aircraft, said Michael McCormick, a former head of the FAA radar facility in Ronkonkoma who has participated in NTSB-led crash investigations.

“And when you listen to the voice tape, it sounds a lot like the same controller is doing both," McCormick said. “That definitely contributes to a workload issue that could be a factor in this."

Harvey Scolnick, who spent about 40 years as an air traffic controller and another decade training controllers, agreed: “The more I listen to the tape, the more it sounds to me like it might have been the same controller” handling both tasks. “It sounds like it's the same voice telling an airplane to go around … as cleared the vehicle across the runway.”

Scolnick said that alternatively, it’s possible there was another controller operating on a different frequency not heard on the recording.

Understaffing of controllers has long been a concern at the FAA. After last year's midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter that killed 67 people near Washington's Reagan National Airport, the NTSB found that controllers' "high workload during a period of elevated traffic" was one of several contributing factors, along with air traffic route design, data sharing and collision avoidance technology shortcomings.

"My first reaction is that this is every bit as concerning and significant as the midair collision a year ago at Washington National," McCormick said.

Scolnick said he’s trained controllers who work at LaGuardia, and “the men and women who work in that tower are unbelievably good.”

Travelers need to check ahead

Ticket prices for several departing LaGuardia flights were listed as high on Monday morning, according to Google Flights.

Several flights to Chicago, Montreal and Orlando, as examples, were listed from several hundred dollars to more than $1,000, with significant layovers and one or two stops.

Officials have said LaGuardia would be closed at least until 2 p.m. Airlines including Southwest posted cancellations of several flights that had been scheduled to depart in the late afternoon, according to Google Flights.

Duffy heading to LaGuardia

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on X that he is en route to LaGuardia Airport “in response to last night’s horrific crash” that killed two pilots and injured dozens.

Duffy said the FAA and the NTSB are working together on the investigation and will provide updates when possible.

Voice in tower: 'I messed up'

Minutes after the crash, an air traffic controller is heard saying he "messed up" in a longer recording of the radio after the crash, obtained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

"Frontier, 4195, I got the word that we're gonna be closed for a little while. If you want to prepare to return to the ramp, let me know," the tower says.

"Yeah, we got stuff in progress after that, man. That was… wasn't good to watch," another voice says.

"Yeah, I know I was here. I tried to reach out to my stuff, and we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up," the tower says.

Hochul: Airport closed at least until 2 p.m.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said LaGuardia would remain closed until at least 2 p.m. during the investigation.

"Heartbreaking news out of LaGuardia this morning," Hochul said in a statement Monday.

"Two pilots were killed and dozens injured in this tragedy,” Hochul said. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected.”

Hochul said the state would share updates as they become available.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced they were sending a go-team to the crash on Runway 4. The NTSB team was expected to arrive Monday and could provide an update on the crash.

See where the crash occurred

The scene at Elmhurst Hospital

There were no immediate signs Monday morning of family members or the injured at Elmhurst Hospital following the crash at LaGuardia Airport. The emergency room was packed with other patients waiting to see doctors.

Dozens of travelers were transported to the Queens hospital, not far from airport.

Signs on the parkways and the Long Island Expressway warned travelers that LaGuardia was closed and to check flights.

Impact caused massive damage

For the Air Canada jet, crashing into the firefighting truck "would have been like hitting a wall," said Michael McCormick, a former head of the FAA radar facility in Ronkonkoma who has participated in NTSB-led crash investigations.

"A fire truck is going to have 1,000 gallons of water on it. So the thing is going to be massive and weigh a lot."

He said the impact of the collision as well as the damage to the cockpit area, which made the aircraft tail-heavy, caused the plane's nose to lift into the air.

The images from the scene show catastrophic damage to the jet’s cockpit.

McCormick is now a professor of air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Florida campus.

Travelers learn of tragedy

Marco Alcantara, 25, of Chicago, said he was aboard the 9 p.m. United Airways flight that a Port Authority emergency vehicle was responding to for what was described as a suspicious odor.

The Port Authority fire truck collided with the Air Canada Express jet on the runway, killing two pilots and injuring dozens.

Alcantara’s plane was about to take off but was instead evacuated.

Alcantara said they were off the plane and waiting at a gate when he learned of the incident.

People were frustrated at first to learn of their flights being cancelled, but the tone of the airport became more serious once they learned of the fatalities.

“It’s kind of, it's creepy … it's surreal that you're going through this,” he told Newsday while lying on the floor of Terminal B. “It’s a little scary.”

Alcantara said he and his friend spent the night in Terminal B. Their flight to Chicago had been rescheduled for Monday afternoon, he said.

Plane crash scene still active

From atop a parking garage, emergency crews could be seen attending to the ruined Air Canada jet on the runway at 8 a.m. under gray and rainy skies.

Flashing emergency vehicles surrounding the crash site were visible from the Terminal B parking garage, as well as rubble from the crash behind it.

More than a dozen United Airways and American Airlines planes remained parked by gates or on the runway.

Canceled flights spark frustration for travelers

Isabella Koelling, 18, said she had just gotten out of her Uber at Terminal B when she received an email that her 12:30 p.m. Frontier flight to Orlando had been canceled.

“We got here six hours early because TSA is so bad,” Koelling said, who was visiting New York with a friend. “Thought that that was going to be our primary concern. Turns out it’s not.”

The college student called Frontier customer service and obtained a full refund and a Frontier travel voucher, but said she was frustrated. No Frontier flights were leaving from nearby airports Monday morning that she could make in time.

She told Newsday she was attempting to purchase another flight leaving Monday evening but the prices were skyrocketing by hundreds of dollars, and every time she tried buying a ticket the webpage said it was no longer available.

One flight she found left Monday evening but had a nine-hour layover, with barely enough time to make it to her Tuesday morning class.

Harrowing audio from crash

The conversation between the air traffic controller and the driver of the firefighting vehicle were captured on a harrowing recording obtained by ATC Audio, a YouTube channel by aviation enthusiasts.

Air traffic control was heard to clear the firefighting vehicle to cross the runway just seconds before the crash happened.

"Truck 1 and company — LaGuardia Tower. Requesting to cross 4 at Delta," the firefighting vehicle says.

"Truck 1 and company, cross 4 Delta," the air traffic controller says, about 15 seconds before the crash.

"Truck 1 and company crossing 4 at delta," the truck confirms.

Then, the tower is heard giving instructions to stop — first to a Frontier airlines flight, then to the truck: "Frontier 4195. Just stop there, please. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Truck 1. Stop."

Then what sounds like another voice joins in from the tower. "Stop truck 1, stop! Stop truck 1, stop!"

A beeping alert goes off before there are a few seconds of silence.

"Jazz 646. I see you collide with vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can't move. Vehicles are responding to you now."

Then there is a flurry of communication as the tower communicates to other flights that Runway 4-22 is closed.

Airline: 72 passengers, 4 crew aboard

Early Monday, Jazz Aviation, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and operating as Air Canada Express, issued a statement confirming the crash of its Flight AC8646 and said the Bombardier CRJ900 jet was inbound to LaGuardia from Montreal.

The company said the preliminary passenger list indicates the plane was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, adding that the numbers were subject to confirmation.

The carrier said it would provide further details as soon as possible.

Quiet in Terminal B

Terminal B's  usual bustling check-in and security lines were nonexistent just after 6 a.m.

Dozens of tired travelers sat on benches surrounded by their luggage, unsure of their next move.

Many took to sitting or attempting to sleep on benches while others created makeshift beds from piles of clothing on the floor.

Screens that listed flight statuses announced in bold red letters that all flights were canceled.

Over 500 flights canceled at LaGuardia

As of 5:30 a.m., more than 500 flights into and out of LaGuardia have been canceled, according to the website FlightAware.

There are roughly 1,000 flights a day at the airport, according to statistics posted by the Port Authority, which runs LaGuardia and the region's other major airports.

Grand Central Parkway congestion

The Grand Central Parkway was slick from heavy morning rain near LaGuardia as police closed off Exit 7, a main ramp to the airport. Traffic in the right lane was at a crawl approaching Exit 5, where some vehicles were being allowed to get off.

Police vehicles, their lights flashing in the pre-dawn darkness, and orange cones barred the normal path into the airport. The outer lanes of the Grand Central were moving normally around the tie-up around 5:30 a.m.

Details on the injured

In addition to the two pilots who were killed, 41 people aboard the plane were hospitalized in the crash between the Air Canada plane and the Port Authority vehicle, according to the Port Authority's executive director, Kathryn Garcia.

Thirty-two people have been released, Garcia said.

In addition to the 41, a sergeant and a Port Authority police officer are in stable condition, she said.

Rescue vehicle was responding to another incident

The fire rescue vehicle on the runway was responding to an unrelated report of an odor aboard a United Airlines plane, officials said at a news conference early Monday.

LaGuardia closure plan

The airport is scheduled to be closed until at least 2 p.m. on Monday, according to the FAA.

Check with your airline for the latest information.

At the same time, the NYPD has closed all LaGuardia exits on the Grand Central Parkway.

2 pilots killed in LaGuardia crash

Two Air Canada pilots have been killed in the crash between their plane and a firefighting vehicle late Sunday night on a LaGuardia Airport runway, Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia said at a news conference early Monday.

The crash was about 11:40 p.m., when a Jazz Aviation flight, operating on behalf of Air Canada, struck a Port Authority firefighting and rescue vehicle that had been responding to a separate incident, the Port Authority said in a statement.

The collision happened as the plane was landing, Garcia said.