Air Traffic Controllers Allegedly Clocked-Out Early Before Fatal Air Canada Crash at LGA

There’s a disturbing development in the investigation of the incident involving an Air Canada regional jet at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport in March that resulted in the deaths of two Canadian pilots.

It is now alleged that a pair of air traffic controllers clocked out about an hour before their shift ended, leaving a pair of colleagues at the LGA tower without backup.

The union representing American air traffic controllers has confirmed the allegations first published this week in the Wall Street Journal.

In an emailed statement to CBC News, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said it is “actively discussing these allegations with Federal Aviation Administration leadership.”

The agency has not addressed the accusations directly but said it is “committed to holding employees accountable.”

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. ET on March 22, an air traffic controller cleared an Air Canada Express plane to land less than two minutes before green-lighting a fire truck to cross the active runway. The resulting collision left two Canadian pilots dead and sent more than 40 people to hospital.

A preliminary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board found that system failures and communication issues played a key role in the accident.

As the jet travelled along the runway at high speed, the fire truck tried to avoid the collision but it was too late, and the collision sheared offer of the cockpit of the regional jet.

The controller recognized the danger moments beforehand, instructing the truck to “stop” — 12 times in 10 seconds — but receiving no reply.

The pilots – Quebec-born Antoine Forest and Ontarian MacKenzie Gunther, who flew for Air Canada Express carrier Jazz Aviation — have been praised for a quick-braking response that likely saved lives of passengers and crew.