CCTV footage captured the exact moment an Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, providing a clear visual account of the deadly incident late Sunday night.
The plane, Flight AC8646 — a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation — was arriving from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport when it collided with a Port Authority fire truck on the runway.
Pilot, co-pilot killed; dozens injured
The crash killed both pilots on board while more than 70 passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
About 40 passengers and crew, along with two people from the fire truck, were taken to hospitals. Most were later released, although several sustained serious injuries.
In a dramatic telling, the flight attendant survived.
An emergency response turns into a disaster
A fire truck was cleared to cross the runway to check on a separate United Airlines flight that reported an odor on board.
Moments before the crash, air traffic control picked up a frantic warning: “Stop, stop, stop, truck 1… Stop!”
About 20 minutes later, the controller appeared to accept responsibility, saying: “We were dealing with an emergency earlier… I made a mistake.”
Scenes of devastation at the crash site
Images from the scene showed extensive damage:
– Crushed nose of the plane and broken cockpit
-Cables and debris hanging from the front
-Fire truck overturned, badly damaged at rear
Airport shutdown and travel chaos
The crash forced the closure of LaGuardia Airport, one of New York’s busiest hubs, leading to widespread traffic disruptions.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled
Operations resumed later with only one runway
Delays continued at several US airports
The disruption comes amid an ongoing government shutdown that has already hampered airport operations across the country.
The investigation focuses on runway coordination
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with the support of Canadian authorities.
Investigators are expected to look into coordination between air traffic control and ground vehicles, particularly how the plane and fire engine were released onto the runway.
