Overview
- The regional CRJ-900 arriving from Montreal, which touched down late Sunday near 11:40 p.m., hit a Port Authority fire truck that was crossing the runway to respond to a reported odor on a United flight.
- Authorities confirmed the captain and first officer died, 41 people were taken to hospitals and 32 have since been discharged, and two Port Authority employees in the truck were injured but not critically.
- Air traffic control recordings captured frantic calls to “Truck 1” to stop and efforts to wave off other aircraft seconds before the collision.
- LaGuardia shut down into Monday to allow the on‑scene probe and reopened around 2 p.m., as the NTSB took charge and began reviewing tower communications and flight data.
- Officials say the truck had been cleared to cross, and the inquiry now centers on how that authorization and subsequent stop orders failed in a period when U.S. airports have been logging frequent runway incursions and operational strains.