Deadly Collision at LaGuardia Airport

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board provided new details of the final minutes before an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York, killing the plane's two pilots and leaving dozens injured. The timeline from federal investigators and air traffic audio suggest the controllers may have been distracted by an emergency with a United Airlines flight before the crash, which was the deadliest collision at the airport in more than three decades.

Why it matters

This incident raises concerns about air traffic control procedures and coordination at busy airports, as well as the potential risks posed by emergency vehicles operating on active runways. The crash highlights the need for robust safety protocols and real-time communication to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.

The details

The United flight had aborted two takeoff attempts before declaring an emergency, which may have distracted air traffic controllers. The Air Canada plane was cleared to land on Runway 4 when the fire truck was given permission to cross the same runway, just seconds before the collision. Investigators are looking into whether the truck crew heard the controller's order to stop before the crash.

• At 11:31 p.m., United flight had declared an emergency and requested a gate assignment.
• Four minutes later, the United plane was assigned a gate and told to wait for emergency responders.
• Around 11:37 p.m., or 25 seconds before the crash, 'Truck 1' made a request to cross Runway 4 at Taxiway D.
• Five seconds later, the truck was cleared to enter the runway.
• Nine seconds before the collision, an air traffic controller instructed 'Truck 1' to stop.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Investigators have not determined whether the operators of the fire truck heard orders to stop before colliding with the Air Canada flight.