NEW YORK (TNND) — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving to dismiss two air traffic controllers who reportedly left their shifts early on March 22, the night Air Canada Express collided with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.
According to sources familiar with the case, the controllers departed approximately one hour before the end of their shifts, leaving two colleagues to manage a high workload without backup. The incident resulted in the deaths of pilots Capt. Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther, along with injuries to 39 individuals, as reported by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
A flight attendant was found on the runway still strapped into her seat, having been ejected more than 320 feet from the aircraft wreckage. At the time of the collision, one controller was multitasking across two positions, while the other was handling a separate emergency.
The NTSB has yet to determine the final cause of the crash, with a comprehensive report anticipated within 12 to 24 months. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy condemned the alleged early departure, asserting that the FAA will not tolerate fraud that overburdens other workers.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association is in talks with FAA leadership regarding the situation. “We believe those discussions are the appropriate forum for addressing the matter,” the union stated.