Traffic conditions at the time of the accident
The investigation continues into the Air Canada Express accident that killed two pilots at New York's LaGuardia Airport on the night of March 22, 2026.
The CRJ-900 operating as Flight 8646, flown by Jazz Aviation for Air Canada Express, was arriving from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport. As it landed on Runway 4 at LaGuardia, it collided with an aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle using the call sign Rescue 35.
According to NTSB records, the aircraft was an MHI RJ Aviation CL-600-2D24, also known as a CRJ-900, registered C-GNJZ. The captain and first officer died. Numerous passengers, cabin crew members, and firefighters were taken to hospitals.
Information that emerged after the accident renewed scrutiny of staffing in the air traffic control tower. The Wall Street Journal reported, and Reuters, Associated Press, CBS News, ABC News and NBC News subsequently reported, that two LaGuardia controllers left the facility about an hour before the end of their shift.
The FAA reportedly opened disciplinary proceedings against the two controllers, which could lead to dismissal.
A key point in the investigation is that the two controllers who left early were not the ones directly handling runway and air traffic at the time of the accident. According to preliminary NTSB findings, two controllers were on duty in the tower, consistent with standard overnight staffing for that time.
The investigation remains open, and the NTSB has yet to determine the probable cause.
Another aircraft reportedly experienced an emergency immediately before the collision, increasing the controllers' workload. While the ground controller, who was also the controller in charge, handled the emergency, the local controller reportedly took over some communications relating to ground and runway traffic.
At that point, the airport fire vehicle Rescue 35 requested permission to cross the runway. The CRJ-900 had been cleared to land on Runway 4 about two minutes earlier.
Preliminary NTSB findings put the CRJ-900 about 30 meters above the ground when the fire vehicle received clearance to cross the runway. The controller recognized the danger and instructed the vehicle to stop. The aircraft touched down shortly afterward and collided with it.
Two controllers reportedly left early
According to information first reported by The Wall Street Journal and subsequently confirmed by other American news outlets, two air traffic controllers left the facility about an hour before their shift ended. The FAA reportedly opened disciplinary proceedings. The NTSB has yet to determine that their early departure directly caused the collision.
The fire vehicle had no transponder
LaGuardia uses the ASDE-X surface surveillance system to track aircraft and vehicles on runways and taxiways. Rescue 35 reportedly had no transponder, so the system could not track it electronically in the usual way. Investigators are also examining why the expected conflict alert did not appear.
Investigators are examining the Runway Status Lights
Preliminary NTSB findings indicated that the Runway Status Lights system was operational. Investigators are examining why it failed to prevent the accident, what visual warnings the driver and controllers received, and the timing of those warnings.
The probable cause has yet to be determined
Investigators are examining several factors together. They include heavy traffic, another aircraft's emergency, increased controller workload, clearance for the fire vehicle to cross a runway with an aircraft landing, the absence of a transponder on the vehicle, and the lack of a conflict alert from the surface surveillance system.
The NTSB investigation is ongoing. The probable cause and contributing factors should not be treated as settled before the final report is published.
