A pilot and co-pilot were killed after an Air Canada Express passenger plane collided with a fire truck on a LaGuardia Airport runway late Sunday, according to US media reports. At least 13 people, including two firefighters, were injured when the incoming flight collided with a fire engine on runway 4 of the airport, according to NBC and Sky News reports.
Several videos of the aftermath emerged on social media showing evacuation and rescue operations at the airport. Unverified footage also showed damage to the nose of the plane. NDTV could not immediately verify the footage. The clip showed the front of the commuter plane smashed and tilting in the air as passengers deplaned from the vehicle.
🚨 BREAKING UPDATE: MULTIPLE CRITICAL PATIENTS AFTER AIR CANADA FLIGHT COLLIDES WITH VEHICLE WHILE LANDING AT LAGUARDIA AIRPORT. POSSIBLE FATALITIES. https://t.co/hZWimAuwe5 pic.twitter.com/62SUgxoUkA
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 23, 2026
The incident reportedly happened at 11:38 pm (local time) when a fire truck from the Port Authority Police Department collided with a plane when it was landing. According to an NBC report, a sergeant and an officer on the fire truck have broken limbs and are in stable condition at a hospital.
The CRJ-900 plane, which was coming from Montreal, struck the vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kph) at the airport in New York City’s Queens borough, FlightRadar24 said.
Reuters
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has, meanwhile, issued a ground stop for all planes at the airport, according to a notice from the regulator. The FAA notice showed that the reason for the halt at the airport was an emergency, and there was a high probability of an extension, without specifying any details.
LaGuardia Airport‘s website showed all arriving planes have either been diverted to other airports or returned to their point of origin.
In a separate notice to airmen, the FAA said that the airport could be shut until 1800 GMT. However, authorities have not yet released details on injuries or the extent of the damage.
According to a ColLive report, the collision happened as the plane, operated by regional carrier Jazz Airlines, was heading to a gate as heavy weather hit the area.
Per US media reports, four crew members along with 72 passengers were aboard the jet —a Bombardier CRJ-900— and their conditions are being evaluated. Citing sources, the New York Post said the plane was carrying a group of Orthodox Jews from the New York area.
The fire truck was reportedly cleared to cross runway 4 to respond to the United 737 Max flight that declared an emergency on the ground due to a strange odour that was making the flight attendants sick.