As we reported, an Air Canada plane smashed into a Port Authority fire truck at New York City’s LaGuardia airport on Sunday night, and it was immediately clear that the situation was serious. Sadly, we can now confirm that two pilots are dead and dozens of passengers have been hospitalized.
It’s the first deadly accident at LaGuardia in decades:
A runway collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday killed two people, injured dozens more and shut down one of the busiest domestic airports in the region.
The crash occurred when an Air Canada jet landing on Sunday collided with a Port Authority fire truck that had been responding to a separate incident. Investigators were working on Monday morning to determine the cause of the accident, which killed the plane’s pilots. It appeared to be the first fatal accident at LaGuardia since 1992.
Nightmare at NYC’s LaGuardia Airport As Air Canada Plane Hits Vehicle, Multiple Casualties Feared
The photos are disturbing:
Horrific photo shows the front of the Air Canada plane completely crushed after colliding with a vehicle while landing at LaGuardia airport in NYC. https://t.co/hZWimAuwe5 pic.twitter.com/P8aBkdAzHa
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 23, 2026
Here’s what we know:
LaGuardia collision: New York’s LaGuardia Airport is closed after an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck while landing Sunday night. The pilot and copilot were killed, a law enforcement official said.
Major airport closed: New York City’s second-biggest airport will be closed at least until 2 p.m. ET, adding to nationwide travel turmoil tied to the partial government shutdown. You can follow CNN’s live coverage of the nation’s travel woes here.
Dozens hurt in high-speed impact: The jet collided with the Port Authority fire truck on a runway at 104 miles per hour, preliminary analysis indicates. Forty-one passengers and crew were taken to the hospital, according to initial reports, and 32 have been released, the Port Authority said.
Witnesses described a harrowing scene:
Jack Cabot, a passenger on Air Canada flight AC8646, just told CNN what it was like inside when the CRJ-900 slammed into a fire truck on landing at LaGuardia. He said the impact was brutal…. everyone felt it, chaos erupted, and both pilots were killed instantly. He described… pic.twitter.com/CGOyPX1Cn7
— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) March 23, 2026
He described seeing debris flying, smoke, people screaming during evacuation. Heartbreaking to hear a survivor lay it out like that.
Listening to him talk gives you chills
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is scheduled to visit the airport later Monday to receive a briefing, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford are also on their way.
I am on my way to LaGuardia Airport now in response to last night’s horrific crash involving Air Canada Express 8646 and a fire truck that killed two pilots.@FAANews and @NTSB are working closely on this, and we will share updates as soon as possible.
Please keep the victims,… pic.twitter.com/YWTjDn6cde
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) March 23, 2026
Please keep the victims, families and response teams in your prayers.
As someone who had just sent one of my daughters through a NYC airport (JFK) that very morning, this event is certainly jarring. As Duffy says, our hearts go out to all involved.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
