‘Like the plane got cut in half’: LaGuardia crash that killed two pilots now under investigation
LaGuardia Crash Investigation Unfolds After Fatal Collision
On Sunday night, Air Canada flight AC8646 collided with a fire truck on LaGuardia Airport’s runway, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and leaving dozens of passengers injured. The incident, which occurred at 23:40 local time (03:40 GMT Monday), caused significant disruption, with the airport closed through Monday morning.
Passenger Accounts of the Crash
Leo Medina, a 23-year-old passenger on a different aircraft, described the event as “like the plane got cut in half.” He recounted witnessing the crash from the tarmac, where he had to return to the gate and spend over 12 hours waiting, sleeping on the floor amid jackets. Meanwhile, Rebecca Liquori, who traveled from Montreal, shared that the plane hit turbulence upon landing before a sudden, jarring “boom” shattered the cabin.
“As we were descending, we hit a lot of turbulence. Then we landed very roughly… Everyone felt it. It was like the plane jolted and you heard the pilot try to brake trying to prevent the collision,” Liquori said.
“As you heard the brake, a couple seconds later it was just a very loud boom. Everybody jolted out of their seats,” she added.
Air traffic control audio captured a staff member shouting, “‘Truck One, stop, stop, stop!” just before the crash. The fire truck had been dispatched minutes earlier to address an odor issue on another plane, as noted by Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.
Officials Respond to the Tragedy
US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy highlighted the importance of seat belts during a press briefing, stating, “As you see from last night, they do save lives.” FAA administrator Bran Bedford called the incident a “tragic collision,” emphasizing the loss of two young pilots at the start of their careers.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the composure of those involved, noting their quick actions helped save lives. “I am grateful to our first responders, whose swift actions saved lives,” he said, while reassuring the public that the NTSB is conducting a thorough investigation.
Aftermath and Broader Context
At least 41 individuals were hospitalized, with some sustaining serious injuries. Two fire truck crew members were also taken to the hospital. Passenger Jack Cabot described the scene as one of “chaos,” with people scrambling to secure themselves during the impact.
“We went down for a regular landing. We immediately hit something and it was just chaos from there… Everybody was hunkered down and everybody was screaming,” Cabot told CNN.
Additionally, a flight attendant was found alive outside the plane, having fallen through a hole in the aircraft’s floor. She suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney called the crash “deeply saddening,” while US President Donald Trump labeled it “terrible” and “a dangerous business.”
LaGuardia, one of the nation’s busiest airports, remained closed until 1400 on Monday, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed or canceled. Officials noted it had been over 34 years since a fatal incident occurred at the airport. The crash adds to ongoing challenges in air travel, including TSA staffing shortages linked to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
