Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026, around 11:45 p.m. local time. The flight had arrived from Montreal with approximately 72 passengers and four crew members aboard, registration C-GNJZ.
The collision occurred as the aircraft rolled out after landing, while the Port Authority fire truck crossed the runway responding to an unrelated emergency. The aircraft’s nose sustained significant damage, crumpling on impact. Captain Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther were killed. Among the injured were 38 to 39 passengers, both flight attendants, and the two truck occupants, who were transported to Elmhurst Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. By March 27, five individuals—four passengers and one flight attendant—remained hospitalized in stable condition; 32 others were discharged.
Air traffic control urgently radioed ‘Stop! Stop! Fire #1 Stop!’ to the truck, but received no response amid stepped-on transmissions. A vehicle radio call occurred one minute before touchdown. The truck lacked an ASDE-X transponder. The airport closed until 2 p.m. the next day, with Runway 4/22 reopening March 26 at 10 a.m. EDT. Numerous flights diverted to JFK and Newark; Newark later faced a ground stop due to tower smoke.
The NTSB leads the investigation, supported by the FAA, TSB of Canada, and an operations group examining procedures and training. Air Canada and Jazz are cooperating; families can call 1-800-961-7099 for updates. Information remains preliminary.