LaGuardia Airport Closed After Plane and Ground Vehicle Collision

Authorities say an arriving Air Canada Express plane hit a firefighting vehicle on the runway.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 6:34am

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New York's LaGuardia Airport was closed early Monday morning after an arriving Air Canada Express plane collided with a Port Authority firefighting vehicle on the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for the airport, and significant delays and cancellations are expected as the morning continues.

Why it matters

Runway incursions and collisions between aircraft and ground vehicles are serious safety concerns at airports. This incident at a major New York City airport will likely prompt investigations into communication breakdowns and safety protocols to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The details

The collision occurred as the Air Canada Express plane, a CRJ 900 with around 70-90 passengers, was slowing down after landing. The plane suffered significant damage in the collision with the firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident on the runway. Air traffic controllers apparently tried to stop the vehicle from entering the runway as the plane was landing.

  • The incident occurred late Sunday night at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for the airport early Monday morning.

The players

Air Canada Express

A regional airline operating flights on behalf of Air Canada.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

The agency that operates LaGuardia Airport and other major transportation infrastructure in the New York City region.

Federal Aviation Administration

The U.S. government agency responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation.

National Transportation Safety Board

An independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation.

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What they’re saying

“a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada was involved in an incident on a runway in which the aircraft hit a PA firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident.”

— Port Authority Spokesperson

“The big question is what the communication breakdown was that allowed the vehicle to be on the runway as the plane was landing.”

— Kris Van Cleave, CBS News Senior Transportation and National Correspondent

What’s next

The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the incident and will likely launch an investigation to determine the cause of the collision and identify any safety issues that need to be addressed.

The takeaway

This runway collision at a major U.S. airport highlights the critical importance of robust communication, coordination, and safety protocols between air traffic control, ground crews, and aircraft to prevent such potentially catastrophic incidents from occurring.