Many people hesitate to fly because of the fear of a potential crash. Interestingly, most individuals picture these crashes occurring mid-flight rather than upon arrival.
On Sunday, March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express regional jet CRJ-900 was approaching New York’s LaGuardia Airport from Montreal. As it came in for landing around 11:40 p.m., the aircraft collided with a fire truck shortly after touchdown, resulting in the deaths of both the pilot and co-pilot.
The plane, operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. Over 40 individuals sustained serious injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals. According to Sakshi Venkatraman, speaking from LaGuardia, two friends, Leo Medina, 23, and Diego Chavarria, witnessed the shocking moment. “I was literally about 100 meters away,” Medina mentioned.
Prior to landing, the jet was cleared to cross the runway, but emergency vehicles were responding to a different situation involving a United flight. Following this incident, LaGuardia Airport was set to remain closed until 2 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026.
LaGuardia is one of the busiest airports in the country, equipped with advanced ground surveillance systems designed to prevent such unfortunate events. At the time of the collision, the aircraft was traveling between 93 and 165 miles per hour.
Canadian Transport Minister Steve McKinnon indicated that his government is collaborating closely with U.S. authorities to investigate and monitor the situation. Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy urged travelers to keep the victims, their families, and the response teams in their thoughts.
While 41 individuals were reported sent to hospitals, by Monday morning, 32 had been released, according to announcements from the Port Authority.
