NEW YORK (TNND) — A crashed Air Canada Jazz regional jet at LaGuardia Airport shortly before midnight on March 22 killed both pilots and injured 39 others.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the jet was landing on Runway 4 when it collided with an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck. Six of the injured required hospitalization for serious conditions.
The NTSB's preliminary report indicates that air traffic control had cleared the flight for landing while emergency vehicles were responding to a separate incident. A fire truck requested permission to cross the runway and received clearance. Warnings were issued for the truck to stop moments before the collision occurred, but the crew did not respond in time.
Investigators reported that the jet was traveling over 100 mph upon impact. The truck's crew indicated confusion regarding radio communication, failing to realize the stop command addressed their vehicle.
The investigation has highlighted failures in safety systems, including the airport's surface radar, which did not alert controllers due to the emergency vehicles lacking transponders. Although runway warning lights were activated, they turned off seconds before the impact.
Investigators are analyzing data from the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to understand the pilots' actions leading to the collision.
Authorities are also examining human factors such as air traffic control workload and communication breakdowns, which may have impeded coordination during the incident.
The NTSB has stated that the investigation is ongoing, with future analyses expected to address runway safety protocols and coordination between aircraft and ground vehicles.