A Runway incursion event and the accident that occurred at LaGuardia Airport on the night of March 22 resulted in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to more than 40 people, according to reports from airport authorities and Jazz Aviation, the airline that operated the flight for Air Canada.
The desperate air traffic control audio seconds before the fatal crash involving an Air Canada passenger plane and a Port Authority rescue truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York City late Sunday (March 22) night shows the urgency of the situation and the chaos that follwed.
The incident occurred at 11:40 p.m. local time on the Runway 4/22 of the airport. The aircraft was a CRJ-900 operating flight AC8646 from Montreal, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members on board.
The fatalities include the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft. Regarding the injured, airport sources report more than 40 people hurt, although there is some discrepancy in the official figures. Some local media outlets indicate three seriously injured, while other sources mention at least 41 people with injuries of varying degrees.
According to Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority, Seventy-two passengers and four crew members were on the ill-fated plane.
Two Airport Authority officers were on the fire truck that was responding to a separate incident when the collision occurred. United flight 2384 experienced issues during takeoff attempts. Crew reported a strange/weird odor in the aircraft cabin. They return to the gate and request fire services.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the suspension of operations at LaGuardia Airport following the accident, with the closure scheduled to last until the afternoon of March 23. The Port Authority Air Rescue and Fire Service responded to the incident to assist the aircraft's occupants.
Visuals from the scene show severe damage to the cockpit and the nose section of the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it will conduct an investigation to determine the precise causes of the accident, information that has not yet been released by authorities.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released the statement saying,
"The NTSB is launching a go team to investigate the March 22 Jazz Aviation, Air Canada Express Flight 8646, CRJ900, airplane that collided with a fire truck on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in New York NY. Chair Jennifer Homendy will serve as the on-scene spokesperson, accompanied by Member John DeLeeuw. The investigative team is expected to arrive today."
Secretary Sean Duffy said,
"I am on my way to LaGuardia Airport now in response to last night’s horrific crash involving Air Canada Express 8646 and a fire truck that killed two pilots. @FAANews and @NTSB are working closely on this, and we will share updates as soon as possible. Please keep the victims, families and response teams in your prayers."
Jazz Aviation issued an official statement regarding the incident, as did LaGuardia Airport authorities. Airport operations remain suspended while the investigation and removal of the crashed aircraft are completed.
