Quick Read
- An Air Canada Express flight collided with a Port Authority fire truck on LaGuardia’s Runway 4, causing a total ground stop.
- Four first responders were critically injured, while 76 passengers on the flight were evacuated with no major injuries reported.
- The FAA and NTSB are investigating how the fire truck, which was responding to a separate United Airlines emergency, was cleared onto the runway simultaneously with the landing aircraft.
NEW YORK (Azat TV) – LaGuardia Airport remains under an indefinite ground stop following a collision late Sunday night between an arriving Air Canada Express flight and a Port Authority emergency vehicle. The incident, which occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. local time on March 22, 2026, has triggered a massive emergency response and a comprehensive investigation by federal authorities.
Runway Collision Involves Air Canada Express and Port Authority Vehicle
The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Airlines on behalf of Air Canada Express, was taxiing after landing on Runway 4 when it struck a Port Authority police fire truck. According to NBC News, the aircraft was traveling at approximately 30 mph at the time of the impact. The collision caused significant damage to the forward fuselage of the regional jet, with social media footage showing the aircraft’s nose tilted upward and the undercarriage mangled.
The four occupants of the fire truck, all members of the Port Authority Police Department, sustained injuries during the collision. Preliminary reports indicate the pilot and copilot of the vehicle are in critical condition, while a sergeant and an officer are being treated for broken limbs and remain in stable condition. There were 76 passengers and four crew members on board the flight from Montreal; authorities are currently evaluating the passengers for injuries, though no other major casualties have been reported.
FAA and NTSB Launch Investigation into Runway Clearance
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that the fire truck was authorized to cross Runway 4 to respond to a separate emergency involving a United Airlines 737 Max, which had reported an odor inside the cabin. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a formal investigation into the sequence of events that led to the two vehicles occupying the same space at the same time.
As of early Monday, the FAA issued a ground stop for all operations at the airport, with most arriving flights diverted to nearby hubs or returned to their points of origin. Emergency management officials in Queens have warned of significant traffic delays and ongoing emergency activity surrounding the facility, with the airport’s operational status expected to remain suspended until at least 1800 GMT.
Impact on Operations and Passenger Safety
The incident has halted all air traffic at LaGuardia, creating a ripple effect across the regional transportation network. While the primary focus remains on the medical care of the injured first responders and the safety of the airline passengers, the investigation will center on runway clearance protocols and communication between the air traffic control tower and ground personnel. The Guardian reports that emergency crews were on the scene within minutes, managing the complex evacuation process under difficult weather conditions.
The collision at LaGuardia highlights a critical vulnerability in airport ground coordination, where the urgency of responding to one emergency—in this case, a cabin odor incident—can inadvertently create a secondary, high-stakes collision if communication protocols between tower control and ground vehicles fail.