Overview
- An Air Canada Express CRJ900 struck a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia on March 22, killing the captain and first officer and sending more than 40 people to hospitals, with tracking data showing the jet moving at about 39 km/h.
- The NTSB said the system that should warn controllers about aircraft and vehicle conflicts on the ground did not issue an alarm and it opened a formal investigation with U.S. and Canadian authorities.
- Tower audio captured an initial clearance for the fire vehicle to cross the runway and then an urgent “stop” order moments before the impact, which matches surveillance video released by U.S. media.
- The FAA ordered a ground stop and temporarily closed the airport after the crash, and LaGuardia resumed operations the next afternoon.
- Airports use surface detection networks to track planes and vehicles and flag hazards, and any lapse at LaGuardia could prompt changes to how emergency vehicles are authorized to enter active movement areas.