Passengers Describe Chaos Before Fatal LaGuardia Crash

Witnesses recount harrowing moments as pilot tried to brake before impact.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 6:29pm

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Passengers aboard a flight that crashed at New York's LaGuardia Airport have described the chaotic scene as the pilot attempted to brake and slow the plane down before the fatal impact. Eyewitness Rebecca Liquori, a nurse seated near an emergency exit, recounted hearing a "huge noise" as the pilot braked hard, followed by the sound of the collision and passengers screaming.

Why it matters

The firsthand accounts from passengers provide insight into the final moments before the crash, which resulted in multiple fatalities. Understanding the sequence of events and passenger experiences can aid investigators in determining the cause of the accident and inform future safety protocols.

The details

According to Liquori, the pilot was trying to brake and slow the plane down to avoid the crash, but this caused a "huge noise" that she had never heard before, describing it as a "grinding" sound. A few seconds later, Liquori said, the plane collided, and passengers were "thrown forward" as "everybody's screaming".

  • The incident occurred on March 24, 2026.

The players

Rebecca Liquori

A 35-year-old nurse from Baldwin, New York, who was seated near an emergency exit on the flight.

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What they’re saying

“The pilot was trying to brake to slow the plane down to avoid the crash, and that made, like, just a huge noise. I've never heard it before. It was like a grinding. A few seconds after that, you hear the collision and we just got jolted. We got thrown forward. And everybody's screaming.”

— Rebecca Liquori, Passenger

What’s next

Investigators are expected to release a preliminary report on the cause of the crash within the next few weeks.

The takeaway

This tragic incident highlights the importance of robust safety protocols and emergency preparedness on commercial flights, as well as the need for continued improvements in aviation technology to prevent such catastrophic events in the future.