A clip of an air traffic control recording has emerged, detailing the frantic moments before a deadly collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport. The accident involved an Air Canada Express flight colliding with a fire truck on the runway on Sunday night.
The crash occurred around 11:50pm as Air Canada Express CRJ-900, operated by Jazz Aviation, approached LaGuardia Airport from Montreal. It carried 72 passengers and four crew members when it struck the emergency response vehicle.
The fire truck, identified as Truck 1, had been authorised to cross Runway 4 to respond to an earlier emergency involving a United flight. A controller can be heard issuing urgent commands as the situation rapidly escalated.
At least 11 passengers from the Air Canada flight and two first responders were hospitalised. 42 passengers and the plane's crew sustained injuries overall, according to the initial reports. Officials confirmed the collision killed the plane's pilot and co-pilot.
LaGuardia Airport Collision Captured in ATC Recording
Audio from Air Traffic Control when plane collided with fire truck at New York airport:
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 23, 2026
"Stop Truck 1, stop!"
"We were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up" pic.twitter.com/7dJcFov4gq
The audio clip captured an air traffic controller shouting, 'Truck One, stop, stop, stop!' before addressing the Air Canada flight, saying 'JAZZ 646, I see you've collided with the vehicle. Just hold your position. I understand you can't move. Emergency vehicles are en route to assist you now.'
Controllers urged the incoming Frontier flight and the fire truck to halt moments before the impending crash. Per NYC Today, a United 2384 flight had earlier aborted a scheduled takeoff due to an anti-ice warning light.
Immediately after the collision, one controller remarked, 'That wasn't good.' Another responded, 'Yes, I know, I was here, I tried to communicate... we were dealing with an earlier emergency, I messed it up.'
Frontier Airlines flight crews, bound for Miami, attempted to reassure the distressed controller. They stated, 'No, you did the best you could.'
Timeline Unravels the Moments Before the Deadly Crash
Sources to NBC News confirmed that prior to the incident, the plane was given clearance to land, and the firetruck, which was responding to the United flight emergency, was also allowed to cross the runway. The Air Canada plane was travelling at approximately 24 mph when it hit the Port Authority's Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle.
The plane reportedly hit the middle of the truck, according to the outlet. Both of the vehicle's officers, who were seated up front, were thrown off but survived. The plane's nose was low when it collided, so the plane's pilots took the full force of the impact.
Eyewitness Recounts the Aftermath
Frontier Airlines flight passenger Timothy Henriksen reported seeing the mishap unfold, confirming key details. 'We stopped and then the pilot came on and said there's been an accident with an Air Canada and a fire truck. ... We got a really good view of the plane missing the whole front nose,' he told CBS News.
LaGuardia was closed immediately after the incident, and the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights until 2:00pm. All access points to LaGuardia Airport along Grand Central Parkway have since been reopened.
Investigators are examining the sequence of events, including how the truck received clearance amid multiple aircraft movements. They're also considering the possibility of a communication breakdown that caused the vehicle to continue on the runway, despite repeated warnings.
The audio, as originally recorded by LiveATC.net, has yet to be independently verified.
