Harrowing air traffic control audio captures a controller urgently pleading, “Truck 1, stop, stop, stop!” seconds before an Air Canada jet collided with a Port Authority emergency vehicle on LaGuardia Airport’s Runway 4, killing the pilot and co-pilot.
Details of the Collision
The Jazz Aviation flight, operating as Air Canada Express Flight JAZZ 646 from Montreal, approached the runway around 11:40 p.m. on Sunday. The Bombardier CRJ-900, carrying 76 passengers and crew, struck the rescue truck after it received permission to cross the active runway amid another aircraft’s emergency elsewhere at the airport.
The controller immediately addressed the plane: “JAZZ 646, I see you collided with the vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can’t move. Vehicles are responding to you now.” Photos from the scene show the jet’s nose severely damaged and tilted upward, with the emergency vehicle flipped on its side.
Emergency Response and Airport Impact
Emergency protocols activated instantly. Port Authority Police arrived on scene alongside the agency’s Chairman and Executive Director. A Port Authority spokesman stated, “The Port Authority Police Department is working closely with our airline partners as well as federal authorities, and will provide additional updates as more details become available.”
The New York Fire Department responded to reports of the aircraft-vehicle incident. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at 11:50 p.m. EST, temporarily closing the airport. Crews worked overnight to clear the wreckage, including removing the plane’s front section.
Investigation Underway
The National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation into the runway collision. Rainy conditions prompted earlier warnings of flight disruptions at LaGuardia around 8:30 p.m. EST.
Broader Airport Challenges
The incident occurs amid heightened pressures at U.S. airports due to a DHS funding standoff. Travelers at LaGuardia reported security lines extending into parking lots, with waits up to three hours. President Donald Trump announced deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist TSA starting Monday, posting on Truth Social: “If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before! I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, ‘GET READY.’ NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!”
Border czar Tom Homan confirmed plans with ICE Director Tedd Lyons and acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill to target specific airports by Sunday’s end.
