A catastrophic incident at LaGuardia Airport involving Air Canada flight AC8646 and a fire truck has left two pilots dead and numerous injuries. An investigation is now underway.

On March 22, 2026, Air Canada flight AC8646 crashed into a fire truck on the runway of LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the deaths of its two pilots and injuries to 41 others. Witnesses described the terrifying scene as the plane jolted violently upon landing, causing chaos among passengers. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy emphasized the vital importance of seat belts during the incident, while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) initiated a thorough investigation into the accident.

'Like the plane got cut in half': LaGuardia crash that killed two pilots now under investigation

Air Canada flight AC8646's collision with a fire truck on a LaGuardia Airport runway late on Sunday killed the plane's two pilots, injured dozens of others, and left passengers and witnesses stunned and stranded.

Witness Leo Medina described the moment: We were literally like 100 metres away... it was like the plane got cut in half. As a result of the crash, LaGuardia Airport was shut down until Monday afternoon.

The horrific crash, which occurred at 23:40 local time, resulted in injuries to 41 people, many of whom were transported to hospitals with varying degrees of injury.

US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy visited the crash site, emphasizing the importance of seat belts in saving lives during such incidents.

Identified from reports, 30-year-old Antoine Forest was one of the deceased pilots, while the name of the second pilot has yet to be released.

Passenger Rebecca Liquori, who experienced the crash first-hand, recalled the chaos, stating, As we were descending, we hit a lot of turbulence. After the collision, she described the scene as frightening and chaotic, with passengers helping each other exit the aircraft.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the incident as a tragic collision and noted that the National Transportation Safety Board was swiftly investigating the crash.

The investigation will delve into the circumstances leading to the collision, including an audio recording of air traffic control urging the fire truck to stop just before the impact.

With LaGuardia Airport being one of the busiest in the US, the crash has led to significant travel disruptions, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed or canceled.

This event marks the first deadly incident at LaGuardia in over 34 years, highlighting urgent concerns regarding aviation safety amid a tumultuous period in air travel.