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The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities said.
The Air Canada Express CRJ-900 plane, operated by its partner Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, based on a preliminary passenger list that remained subject to confirmation. Jazz is owned by Chorus Aviation.
The New York Police Department confirmed Sunday that the plane had crashed into a Port Authority vehicle after landing. It did not immediately offer additional information.
Crews with the New York City Fire Department were also called, a spokesperson said.
An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority vehicle in New York. (Ryan Murphy/The Associated Press)
Firetrucks lineup outside LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, in New York, after an Air Canada Jet collided with a Port Authority vehicle on a runway. (Ryan Murphy/The Associated Press)
An Associated Press photo shows a jet branded with an Air Canada logo tilted up in the air on top of the vehicle and there is severe damage to the front of the plane.
A Port Authority spokesperson says the aircraft hit a “Rescue and Firefighting vehicle” as it responded to a separate incident.
“The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency’s Chairman and Executive Director,” the spokesperson said.
“The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation.
A web page for the Federal Aviation Administration states LaGuardia is closed.