FAA Closes LaGuardia Airport After Deadly Runway Collision Kills 2

The FAA has closed New York’s LaGuardia Airport until Monday afternoon following a runway collision between a passenger jet and a Port Authority vehicle that killed two people late Sunday.

According to the FAA, an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 inbound from Montreal landed on Runway 4 at about 11:45 p.m. The jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck responding to an unrelated reports of an odor on a United Airlines flight.

Air Canada CRJ-900 has collided with a fire truck while landing at La Guardia Airport.

The plane, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, struck a Port Authority vehicle that was responding a separate incident around 11:40 p.m., according to the Port Authority… pic.twitter.com/6fiEDMTMIj

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) March 23, 2026

Both the pilot and the co-pilot of the Air Canada flight died, according to Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. A total of 41 people, including passengers, crew, and airport rescue workers, were taken to the hospital, some with serious injuries.

The FAA is investigating the incident and has halted all inbound and outbound traffic at LaGuardia until at least 2 p.m. The closure could be extended. Roads in and out of the airport were shut after the collision, but have since reopened for vehicle traffic.

According to NBC News, the plane had been given the green light to land, and the fire truck had been given clearance to cross the runway, before the plane struck the middle of the truck. The NTSB is investigating the incident.

According to FlightAware, 50% of all flights scheduled to land at LaGuardia Monday have already been cancelled. That number is expected to grow as the closure continues. Any passenger scheduled to fly in or our of LaGuardia on Monday should check with their airline before heading to the airport.

Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the airline pilot union, the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), released the following statement:

“The loss of our two fellow crewmembers onboard Flight 8646 is a profound tragedy. These pilots dedicated their careers to the safe transport of passengers, and we are all thinking of their families, loved ones, and colleagues at Jazz Aviation during this devastating time.

“ALPA’s accident investigation team is traveling to assist the National Transportation Safety Board with its work, and our Critical Incident Response Program is working to support ALPA members and the families involved.”