An Air Canada Express Bombardier CRJ900 struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at New York LaGuardia Airport at approximately 11:40 p.m. local time on March 22, 2026. The aircraft, operating as flight AC8646 from Montreal (YUL), carried 72 passengers and four crew members, according to Jazz Aviation, the operator for Air Canada.
LaGuardia Airport authorities stated the firefighting truck was responding to a separate incident when hit, prompting an immediate emergency response and full closure of the facility. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop, with operations halted until at least 2 p.m. ET on March 23; minor delays persisted into early Monday.
NBC News reported, citing two sources familiar with the investigation, that the captain and first officer died in the collision. Conflicting accounts emerged on ground injuries: NBC News referenced two sources indicating the pilots’ deaths, while other reports mentioned critical injuries to at least two Port Authority officers and several others, without official confirmation. Air traffic control audio captured controllers urgently directing the truck and a Frontier flight to stop seconds before impact.
Images depict the jet’s nose section heavily damaged, crumpled metal exposed, and the fuselage tilted upward. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to investigate the cause, which remains undetermined. Jazz Aviation noted passenger figures were preliminary. Airport operations partially recovered by Monday morning amid rainy conditions.