A chilling scene unfolded at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night as an Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck on the runway, claiming the lives of two pilots. The impact, a brutal intersection of metal and momentum, has launched a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
Antoine Forest, a pilot with Jazz Aviation from Quebec, has been identified as one of those lost. He had been with the airline since December 2022. His co-pilot’s identity remains unconfirmed as authorities work to notify next of kin. Passengers aboard Flight 8646, arriving from Montreal, are crediting the pilots’ quick thinking with averting an even greater disaster.
One passenger, Clément Lelièvre, recounted the harrowing moment of landing. “Just as the plane touched down, the pilot braked extremely hard,” he said, describing a decisive action that may have saved dozens of lives. “He must have had incredible reflexes.” The aircraft slammed into a fire truck responding to a separate, unrelated incident involving a United flight and a reported odor.
The collision sent shockwaves through the airport, resulting in 41 people – passengers, crew, and first responders – being transported to hospitals. Thankfully, the two firefighters in the truck are reported to be in stable condition. A flight attendant was discovered outside the wreckage, secured in her jumpseat, a testament to the chaos of the moment.
Disturbing audio recordings have surfaced, revealing the frantic communication between air traffic control and the fire truck moments before the impact. An air traffic controller, grappling with the aftermath of the earlier incident, can be heard ordering “truck one” to halt, then admitting, “I messed up.”
The Air Canada Express flight was traveling at approximately 30 mph when the collision occurred, having previously reached a speed of 131 mph during its approach. The airport was immediately shut down, leading to the cancellation of 400 flights as investigators began the painstaking process of piecing together what happened.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting thorough investigations. Adding to the complexity, Newark Liberty airport in New Jersey experienced its own emergency, with air traffic controllers evacuating due to a “burning smell” emanating from a lift.
The NTSB has dispatched a “go team” to LaGuardia, led by Chair Jennifer Homendy, to lead the on-scene investigation. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her heartbreak over the incident, while Canada’s transport minister, Steven MacKinnon, affirmed Canadian officials are collaborating with their US counterparts.
Fire officials responded to the scene at 11:38 pm, finding a scene of devastation. The FAA confirmed the collision involved an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle and the CRJ-900 aircraft arriving from Montreal. The investigation promises to be extensive, seeking to understand every detail that led to this tragic loss of life and the disruption at a major transportation hub.
