Deadly LaGuardia Collision Timeline Reveals Chaos Before Plane Struck Firetruck

New details are shedding light on how a deadly runway collision unfolded at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, where an Air Canada plane struck a firetruck, killing two pilots and injuring dozens.

According to a timeline of events, the Air Canada regional jet had departed from Montreal after a delay and was cleared to land at LaGuardia late Sunday night. At the same time, a separate emergency involving another aircraft prompted the dispatch of a rescue firetruck onto the runway.

Moments later, air traffic controllers cleared that firetruck to cross the same runway where the Air Canada flight was landing. Seconds after issuing that instruction, controllers urgently tried to reverse course, repeatedly telling the truck to stop.

But it was too late.

The aircraft, traveling at more than 100 miles per hour, collided with the vehicle, causing catastrophic damage to the plane’s front end and triggering panic inside the cabin.

Passengers described a chaotic scene as they evacuated the aircraft, many climbing out onto the wing to escape. Despite the severity of the crash, experts say the impact location likely prevented an even more deadly outcome, as a different point of impact could have caused a massive fire.

Investigators are now examining whether communication issues and heavy workloads for air traffic controllers played a role in the incident. Reports indicate controllers were managing multiple situations at once, including another in-flight emergency.

The crash shut down LaGuardia Airport for more than 13 hours and has renewed concerns about aviation safety, staffing shortages, and the pressures facing air traffic control systems.

Federal investigators from both the United States and Canada are now working to determine the exact cause of the collision.

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