LaGuardia Airport Collision Leaves Two Pilots Dead, Investigation Ongoing
NEW YORK — Two pilots killed in a collision between an Air Canada plane and a Port Authority fire-rescue truck at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night are set to be transported back to Canada on Wednesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the incident, which also left dozens injured. Six individuals remain hospitalized, and the affected runway is still closed.
The pilots of Flight 8646 have been identified as Antoine Forest, 30, from Quebec, and Mackenzie Gunther, who graduated from Seneca Polytechnic in 2023. According to authorities, the flight was approaching for landing when the crash occurred.
NTSB investigator Doug Brazy reported that the cockpit voice recordings indicate the emergency truck requested clearance to cross the runway just as the aircraft was nearing its landing, and it was cleared by the control tower less than 100 feet from the runway. The tower instructed the truck to stop just nine seconds before the collision.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy confirmed that personnel were present in the control tower during the incident, but investigations are ongoing to ascertain how many certified controllers were on duty and who was responsible for taxiway movements at the time.
According to officials, the bodies of the deceased pilots were taken to a funeral home in Queens for transport later today.