Two dead and dozens injured after runway collision at LaGuardia Airport halts air traffic

A regional passenger aircraft collided with an airport firefighting vehicle during landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York around 03:47 UTC on March 23 (23:47 local time on March 22), killing two pilots and injuring at least 41 people, according to multiple official and media reports.

The aircraft, identified as an Air Canada Express flight operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members at the time of the incident. The collision occurred shortly after touchdown, when the aircraft struck a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle present on the runway.

Both flight crew members, the pilot and first officer, were pronounced dead. At least 41 individuals, including passengers and airport personnel, were transported to hospitals. The exact breakdown of injuries remains subject to confirmation, with early reports indicating that both passengers and emergency responders were among those affected.

According to preliminary information, the firefighting vehicle had been responding to a separate incident and had been cleared to access the runway before the collision. Air traffic control reportedly attempted to halt the vehicle prior to impact.

“Today is an incredibly difficult day for our airline, our employees, and most importantly, the families and loved ones of those affected by the accident involving flight 8646,” said Doug Clarke, President, Jazz Aviation LP.

Official METAR observations from KLGA issued at 03:51 UTC, four minutes after the reported time of the collision, indicate light rain and mist at LaGuardia, with wind from the northeast at 13 km/h (8 mph), visibility of 6.4 km (4 statute miles), a temperature of 8°C (46°F), dew point of 8°C (46°F), and pressure of 1 006 hPa (29.70 inHg).

The report shows few clouds at 1 400 m (4 500 feet), a broken layer at 2 700 m (9 000 feet), and an overcast layer at 3 400 m (11 000 feet).

Operations at the airport were suspended following the collision at least until 14:00 E.T. on March 23.

Flight disruption data at 09:00 E.T. (13:00 UTC) shows a significant operational impact on March 23, with a disruption index of 5.0 and average delays reaching 201 minutes. A total of 572 flights, representing 53% of scheduled operations, were cancelled, while only a limited number of flights continued to operate.

The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed investigators to the site and is leading the investigation, with support from the Federal Aviation Administration.

References:

¹ Jazz Aviation LP (operating as Air Canada Express) provides update on AC8646 – Fly Jazz – March 23 2026

² Live Updates: 2 Dead After Jet Collides With Truck at LaGuardia Airport – The New York Times – March 23, 2026

Teo Blašković

I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

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