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Jennifer Homendy is personally leading the NTSB‘s investigation into a deadly Air Canada Express collision that killed two pilots at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night. The CRJ-900 regional jet struck a Port Authority fire truck on Runway 4 around 11:38 p.m., making this the first fatal crash at the airport in over 34 years.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Fatalities: Two Canadian pilots killed in the collision on March 23, 2026
- Injuries: Forty-one passengers, crew, and emergency personnel hospitalized, 32 released
- Aircraft: Jazz Aviation CRJ-900 with 72 passengers and 4 crew from Montreal
- Impact Speed: Plane traveling at 93-105 miles per hour when collision occurred
How the Tragic Collision Unfolded at LaGuardia
Jennifer Homendy confirmed that air traffic control is central to the investigation. At 11:31 p.m., a United Airlines flight declared an emergency due to an odor, prompting the fire truck dispatch. At 11:36 p.m., the tower cleared the fire truck to cross Runway 4 at taxiway Delta. Seconds later, the controller urgently commanded, “Stop, stop, stop truck one, stop.” But it was too late.
The Air Canada flight touched down at 11:37 p.m. and struck the fire truck head-on approximately one minute later. Audio recordings captured the aftermath, with one controller saying, “I messed up,” shortly after the crash. The collision was described as catastrophic, with video footage capturing the violent impact.
Jennifer Homendy leads NTSB probe into deadly LaGuardia plane crash
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NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy Takes Command of Investigation
Homendy told reporters that 25 NTSB specialists are deployed to examine multiple factors. She revealed that investigators faced significant challenges reaching the scene due to airport security and government shutdown restrictions, with some team members waiting three hours at TSA checkpoints. Despite obstacles, the team secured both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, with engineers confirming no damage to the voice recorder.
The investigation spans aircraft operations, mechanical components, flight control systems, air traffic control, and airport operations. Homendy confirmed that surveillance video collection is ongoing and will be crucial to determining the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
Investigation Timeline and Critical Details
| Time | Event |
| 11:31 p.m. | United flight declares emergency |
| 11:36 p.m. | Fire truck cleared to cross runway |
| 11:37 p.m. | Air Canada flight touches down |
| 11:38 p.m. | Collision occurs on Runway 4 |
The fire truck was responding to United Airlines flight 2384, which reported an unidentified odor. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed that the two officers on the truck, Sergeant Michael Orsillo and Officer Adrian Baez, sustained injuries but are expected to be released soon. The nose of the aircraft was struck directly, which safety experts say likely prevented a catastrophic fire by missing the wing fuel cells.
‘There is a tremendous, tremendous amount of debris that poses an injury risk. We had to cut a hole in the roof to secure the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, which were taken back to Washington D.C. for analysis.’
— Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chairwoman
LaGuardia Airport Responds and Recovers from Crisis
LaGuardia Airport closed immediately after the collision and reopened a single runway at 2 p.m. the following day. Delta Airlines canceled approximately 55 percent of its mainline flights, resulting in over 600 total cancellations across all carriers. The second runway could remain closed for at least one week as investigators document all wreckage.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford held briefings at the airport. Mayor Zohran Mamdani assured residents the investigation will be thorough, noting this was the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in over 34 years. Airport officials warned travelers to expect significant delays and cancellations as operations gradually return to normal.
What Questions Remain About This Preventable Tragedy?
While Jennifer Homendy‘s investigation continues, critical questions linger about coordination between air traffic controllers on different frequencies. Former controller Harvey Scolnick explained that proper procedures require communication between the ground controller and local tower controller when vehicles cross active runways. Officials are examining whether ATC staffing levels or communication breakdowns contributed to the collision.
Transportation Secretary Duffy noted he is investigating whether air traffic control staffing played a role, since national ATC towers have faced significant understaffing during recent government shutdowns. The LaGuardia control tower is rated Level 11 out of 12 for complexity, indicating its critical importance to regional aviation safety.
Sources
- CNN – Detailed live coverage and video analysis of the collision
- NBC News – NTSB briefings and passenger accounts from the crash
- The New York Times – Official statements and investigation updates
