A tense and chaotic scene unfolded late Sunday night at LaGuardia Airport when a passenger aircraft collided with an emergency vehicle on the runway, leaving multiple people injured and forcing a temporary shutdown of the busy airport.
According to officials, the aircraft — an Bombardier CRJ900 operated by Air Canada — had just arrived from Montreal and was taxiing toward the gate when it struck a fire truck on Runway 4. The jet was carrying approximately 80 to 100 passengers and was moving at an estimated speed of 24 mph at the time of impact, based on flight tracking data.
The collision occurred shortly before 11:40 p.m., turning what should have been a routine arrival into a rapidly escalating emergency.
Initial reports indicate that at least four people were critically injured. Among them were two Port Authority Police Department officers assigned to firefighter duties, both of whom were transported to hospital. Sources suggest one is a sergeant and the other an officer, underscoring the seriousness of the injuries among first responders.
An Air Canada Express plane sits on the tarmac after it collided with a fire truck on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026 in New York City. The plane had landed from a flight from Montreal. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
There have also been early media reports claiming that two pilots were killed in the crash, though official confirmation and details remain limited as authorities continue to verify information.
Preliminary findings suggest the fire truck had been cleared by air traffic control to cross the runway. However, audio recordings from the control tower reportedly captured urgent instructions telling the vehicle to stop just moments before the collision — raising immediate questions about timing, visibility, and communication breakdowns.
Weather conditions at the time were described as poor, which may have played a role in reducing visibility or complicating coordination between ground vehicles and aircraft.
In the aftermath, the Federal Aviation Administration moved quickly to halt all incoming and outgoing flights at LaGuardia, effectively shutting down operations while emergency crews responded. At least 18 flights were diverted to nearby hubs, including John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Images from the scene show the aircraft stopped on the runway following the impact, surrounded by emergency vehicles and flashing lights — a stark reminder of how quickly routine airport operations can turn into critical incidents.
Investigators are now working to piece together the exact sequence of events, focusing on communication between air traffic control and ground crews, runway procedures, and environmental conditions. For now, many details remain unclear, but the incident has already raised broader concerns about runway safety and coordination at major airports.
As authorities continue their investigation, the focus remains on the injured, the accuracy of initial reports, and understanding what went wrong in those final seconds before impact.
