Air Canada Express Flight 8646 Collision at LaGuardia Airport Kills Pilots, Injures Dozens
An Air Canada Express flight operated by Jazz Aviation collided with an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Sunday, March 22, 2026, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and injuries to over 40 people. The incident occurred as Flight 8646, a CRJ-900 aircraft, was landing on Runway 4 after traveling from Montreal Trudeau International Airport.
Details of the Collision
According to passenger accounts, the impact was sudden and forceful. Jack Cabot, a passenger on board, described feeling a hard brake and a sense of panic as the plane struck something on the runway. “Right as we hit the ground, we kind of felt, like, the brake was pretty hard and we all felt something was wrong,” Cabot told CBC News Network. “And then, it was just this sudden, overwhelming, like, panic, given that we’d hit something and there was nobody in control.”
The pilots have been identified as Captain Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther.
The flight was carrying approximately 72 passengers and four crew members at the time of the crash, according to Air Canada.
Eyewitness Accounts and Survival
Passengers praised the pilots for their actions, suggesting they may have minimized the impact of the collision. Clément Lelièvre, a French national on board, stated the pilot braked extremely hard upon touchdown, potentially saving lives. “Just as the plane touched down, the pilot braked extremely hard,” Lelièvre told The Canadian Press. “I don’t know the circumstances, but I believe he kind of saved our lives because he must have had incredible reflexes.”
Flight attendant Solange Tremblay was among those injured, ejected from the plane with her seat and discovered near the wreckage by first responders. She sustained multiple fractures to her right leg and was undergoing surgery, according to her daughter, Sarah Lepine. “It’s a miracle she is alive,” Lepine said.
Investigation Underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are jointly investigating the incident, with the NTSB leading the investigation. The FAA stated the accident occurred around 11:45 p.m. Local time on Sunday, March 22.
An air traffic controller reportedly told the fire truck to stop at least ten times before the collision, raising questions about communication and coordination. According to CBC News, Mary Schiavo, a former U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general, noted a lack of communication between the three or four entities involved. “We seem to have three people that needed to know what’s going on, or actually four different entities and we don’t hear any co-ordination among them,” Schiavo said.
Ongoing Updates
The NTSB will provide updates as the investigation progresses. Follow the NTSB on X (formerly Twitter) for the latest news.
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