What we know about the LaGuardia plane and fire truck crash
What We Know About the LaGuardia Plane and Fire Truck Crash
Two pilots perished in the collision between a commercial aircraft and a Port Authority fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night. Their identities have been confirmed by Canadian news outlets and a college attended by one of the pilots. Officials have not yet officially announced their names, though they revealed both were based in Canada and operated the Canada Air Express flight.
Timeline of the Crash
NTSB investigators outlined key moments from the final three minutes of the cockpit voice recorder during a Tuesday news conference. According to Doug Brazy, a senior aviation investigator, the fire truck was cleared to cross the runway 20 seconds before the crash. At 2 minutes and 22 seconds, the flight crew communicated with the airport tower. The tower then permitted the plane to land on Runway 4 at 2 minutes and 17 seconds.
“At 1 minute and 3 seconds, an airport vehicle made a radio transmission, but it was ‘stepped on’ by another signal,” Brazy explained. “This suggests interference with the communication.”
Homendy, NTSB chairwoman, noted that the tower advised the plane was at a stable approach 54 seconds prior to impact. Moments later, the tower inquired which vehicle needed to cross the runway. The fire truck responded, and permission was granted 20 seconds before the crash. The truck read back the clearance at 17 seconds, followed by instructions for a Frontier Airlines flight to hold position.
“At 9 seconds, the tower told the fire truck to stop. Then, at 8 seconds, the landing gear touched down,” Brazy said. “There was a pilot transfer of controls at 6 seconds, with the first officer handing over to the captain.”
Homendy highlighted that two individuals were managing the tower cabin during the incident: a local controller overseeing active runways and airspace, and the controller in charge of overall safety operations. The latter also handled clearance delivery, providing pilots with departure instructions.
Conflicting Information and Fatigue Concerns
Homendy mentioned ongoing confusion about who managed ground control duties for taxiway movements. “We have conflicting information. Some say it was the controller in charge, others claim it was the local controller,” she stated. She emphasized that having two controllers during the midnight shift is standard practice in national airspace systems, though past investigations raised concerns about fatigue during this period.
The local controller began their shift at 10:45 p.m., while the controller in charge arrived at 10:30 p.m. Despite the crash, the pilots are credited with averting a greater tragedy by swiftly braking and reducing the impact force. Over 40 individuals were treated for mostly minor injuries, with some requiring extended hospital care.
Jack Cabot, 22, a passenger on the Canada Air flight, shared his experience. Returning home from a spring break ski trip, he described feeling the pilots’ efforts to slow the plane just before the collision. The impact left him with a cheek bruise and neck soreness, though he remained conscious throughout the event.
