Pilots Raised Safety Concerns Before Deadly LaGuardia Crash

Warnings about near-misses and chaotic conditions at the airport preceded the deadly runway collision.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 9:24pm

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Pilots had filed anonymous reports to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System over the past year, describing unsafe conditions at New York's LaGuardia Airport, including controllers 'pushing the line' amid intense traffic without clear guidance on aircraft in the vicinity. One pilot pleaded, 'Please do something,' after air traffic control cleared a departure while their aircraft was just 300 feet from landing on a different runway. The concerns came ahead of a low-speed October collision involving two planes at LaGuardia, and now hover over the investigation into the collision between an Air Canada Express flight and an airport fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway.

Why it matters

The reports of near-misses and safety concerns at LaGuardia Airport raise questions about the airport's operations and air traffic control procedures, especially in the wake of the deadly runway crash that killed two pilots and injured 41 others. The investigation will likely focus on whether these prior warnings were heeded and if more could have been done to address the safety issues at the busy New York airport.

The details

The anonymous reports filed to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System over the past year described controllers 'pushing the line' amid intense traffic without offering clear guidance on aircraft in the vicinity. One pilot said they had been cleared to cross a runway, only to find a landing plane 'seemingly headed for us.' Another pilot pleaded, 'Please do something,' after air traffic control cleared a departure while their aircraft was just 300 feet from landing on a different runway, ultimately landing in smoky, low-visibility conditions about '10 seconds after the departing aircraft crossed our path.' These concerns came ahead of a low-speed October collision involving two planes at LaGuardia, and now hover over the investigation into Sunday's deadly collision between an Air Canada Express flight and an airport fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway.

  • Over the past year, pilots filed anonymous reports to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System describing unsafe conditions at LaGuardia Airport.
  • In October 2025, there was a low-speed collision involving two planes at LaGuardia Airport.
  • On March 24, 2026, a deadly runway crash at LaGuardia Airport killed two pilots and injured 41 others.

The players

NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System

An anonymous reporting system that allows pilots and other aviation personnel to report safety concerns.

Air Canada Express

The airline operating the flight involved in the deadly runway collision at LaGuardia Airport.

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What’s next

The National Transportation Safety Board is analyzing recovered flight and cockpit recorders and says the runway will stay shut for days as the investigation continues.

The takeaway

The reports of safety concerns at LaGuardia Airport, including near-misses and chaotic conditions, raise serious questions about the airport's operations and air traffic control procedures. The investigation into the deadly runway crash will likely focus on whether these prior warnings were adequately addressed and if more could have been done to improve safety at the busy New York airport.