Canadian investigators to join probe into LaGuardia Airport collision that killed 2 pilots

Pilots killed after broadcast Canada skim collides with vehicle at N.Y. Airdrome

Hear excerpts from the air traffic control audio captured in LaGuardia plane, vehicle collision

Passengers 'woke up in shock' as plane collided with vehicle at LaGuardia airport

Who controls the runway? A retired air traffic controller explains

A reporter asked U.S. President Donald Trump for comment on the crash, as he prepared to board Air Force One on his way back to Washington from a weekend at Mar-a-Lago. 

"They made a mistake. It's a dangerous business. That's terrible," Trump said. He then walked away without saying who he meant by "they."

Prime Minister Mark Carney offered his condolences to the victims, their families and all those affected by the crash. 

"The collision involving an Air Canada Express aircraft last night in New York that claimed the lives of the pilot and co-pilot, and injured dozens more, is deeply saddening," he wrote on X. 

Carney said Canadian officials are working closely with their U.S. Counterparts on the ground as the investigation continues.

While Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon acknowledged staff shortages among air traffic controllers and across Canada’s entire transportation network, he said they do not compromise safety. 

"Canadians can be very, very reassured that we have a very, very safe transport network in our country," he told Radio-Canada, adding that he is addressing the shortages. 

"We have the most rigorous standards in the world and we are maintaining them."

The Jazz Aviation pilot and first officer who were killed in the Air Canada Express crash were members of the Air Line Pilots Association, the largest airline pilot union in the world, representing more than 80,000 members at 42 U.S. And Canadian airlines. 

"The loss of our two fellow crewmembers onboard Flight 8646 is a profound tragedy," said the union's president, Capt. Jason Ambrosi, in a statement. 

"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," Ambrosi said.

He said the union's accident investigation team is on scene assisting the National Transportation Safety Board with its work.

The Associated Press

There are three different models of aircraft rescue and firefighting trucks, according to a video put out last year about the unit by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. 

One carries 5,678 litres of water and firefighting chemicals. Two others carry 11,356 litres of water. One of those models is also equipped with a turret that can extend 20 metres to reach inside an aircraft and discharge firefighting chemicals.It’s not clear yet which model of vehicle was struck.Two Port Authority employees who were travelling in the fire truck suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority.

Denis Lepage, a retired Air Canada pilot, is familiar with this route, having operated flights between Montreal’s Trudeau Airport and New York’s LaGuardia Airport for 29 years. 

"LaGuardia is an extremely busy airport, both in terms of air traffic and ground traffic. So, there are a lot of vehicles on the move," he said on Radio-Canada’s Tout Un Matin. "Air traffic controllers must be extremely vigilant when issuing clearances."

Lepage pointed to the heavy workload of air traffic controllers, noting that staff shortages limit the number of aircraft that can take off and land at LaGuardia – an issue he’s observed in Canada, but particularly in the New York area. 

He added there’s "very little" protection on the front fuselage of an aircraft against the kind of contact that led to the collision. 

"It really doesn’t take much contact between a vehicle on the ground and an aircraft to cause damage," Lepage said.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it is deploying a team of investigators to support the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in its probe of the crash.

Because the incident happened at a U.S. Airport, the NTSB runs the investigation and takes the lead on releasing information.

Who controls the runway? A retired air traffic controller explains

Harvey Scolnick, a former air traffic controller in the U.S., says he is at a loss to explain what led to the deadly runway crash late Sunday at LaGuardia in New York City, killing two Jazz Aviation pilots on the Air ⁠Canada Express CRJ-900 plane.

Ground controllers manage the movement of aircraft with the exception of active runways, which are the purview of air traffic controllers, said Scolnick, now an aviation consultant. Both need to be in co-ordination, but Scolnick said it's not clear if both conversations were recorded and available for investigators to review, as they do not always take place over a radio frequency. 

Earlier, Port Authority officials said an airport fire truck was travelling across the runway to respond to a separate incident aboard a United Airlines flight, whose pilot had reported a concerning odour. Ordinarily, the driver of the truck would request permission from ground controllers to proceed before doing so, Scolnick said.

According to The Associated Press, LaGuardia is one of 35 major airports across the U.S. Equipped with an advanced surface surveillance system that uses radar and data from locator systems on planes to alert controllers to potential conflicts on runways.

Passengers 'woke up in shock' as plane collided with vehicle at LaGuardia airport

Two passengers spoke to local media outlet WABC after their plane from Montreal collided with an emergency vehicle as they landed at a New York airport late Sunday.

Two passengers who spoke to a local ABC affiliate talked about their experience and said many passengers hit their faces on the seats in front of them.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says consular officials are providing assistance to passengers, and an additional team is en route to New York City to provide support in the wake of the crash.

“I reiterate my profound and utter sadness at the loss of two pilots during this tragic accident," Anand said on social media. 

---

---