A aircraft touchdown at LaGuardia Airport collided with an emergency car on the runway, killing the pilot and the co-pilot and badly injuring two Port Authority law enforcement officials, in response to sources.
The collision occurred after 11:30 p.m. Sunday on the Queens airport, FDNY officers mentioned. An Air Canada aircraft was nearing the top of its touchdown process when it collided with a Port Authority firetruck manned by law enforcement officials that was on the runway, in response to two sources acquainted with the matter.
The pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft died within the collision, two sources briefed on the matter instructed NBC New York.
Two Port Authority law enforcement officials have been injured and brought to space hospitals, two sources instructed NBC New York. The 2 PAPD members — a sergeant and an officer — suffered damaged bones within the collision, however have been anticipated to get better.
There have been 72 passengers and 4 crew members onboard the aircraft, in response to sources. A senior official mentioned greater than a dozen folks on board suffered varied accidents, lots of whom have been taken to Elmhurst Hospital or Queens Presbyterian Hospital.
AP Picture/Ryan Murphy
AP Picture/Ryan Murphy An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority car in New York.
Flight AC8646, a Jazz Aviation flight working as Air Canada Specific, had taken off from Montréal Sunday night, in response to a Jazz Aviation assertion. Air Canada mentioned it was conscious of the incident at LaGuardia as properly.
Two sources mentioned the aircraft was travelling about 30 mph on the time it collided with the car on Runway 4. For comparability, when taxiing on the tarmac, planes sometimes journey about 5 mph.
A Port Authority spokesperson mentioned the Plane Rescue and Firefighting car was responding to a separate incident on the time of the collision.
Metropolis officers mentioned to anticipate cancellations, street closures, visitors delays and a heavy FDNY presence close to LaGuardia on account of the incident, advising these on the roads to keep away from the realm. All streets and freeway exits into the airport have been closed till additional discover, the NYPD mentioned.
The airport was put underneath a full floor cease and will stay closed till 2 p.m. Monday, in response to the Federal Aviation Administration.
AP Picture/Ryan Murphy
AP Picture/Ryan Murphy Firetrucks lineup exterior LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, in New York, after an Air Canada Jet collided with a Port Authority car on a runway.
What induced the collision was not instantly clear. An investigation is ongoing. The Nationwide Transportation Security Board mentioned it was gathering info concerning the scenario and was launching a go staff to research. It didn’t present some other particulars early Monday.
The FAA mentioned in a quick assertion that’s can be investigating the incident as properly.
The collision occurred following a night that includes bands of heavy rain throughout the New York Metropolis space. Video footage from the scene confirmed water on the tarmac on account of the rain, nevertheless it wasn’t clear whether or not rain or climate situations performed a task within the incident.
Visibility dropped to about three miles on the time of the collision, with rain and mist coming down.
