Two pilots, Captain Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther, were killed and 39 people, including two Port Authority fire truck workers, were hospitalized following a collision between an Air Canada Express jet and a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026. The accident occurred on a taxiway and runway during Air Canada Express Flight 8646’s arrival from Montreal to New York.
Two LaGuardia air traffic controllers assigned to the shift left work about an hour before the collision. These two controllers represented the standard staffing level for that time but the early departure forced one
controller to manage two operational roles simultaneously while the other coordinated a separate emergency involving a different plane with smoke in the cockpit.
The FAA is seeking to terminate both controllers based on investigation findings related to their early departure. Both were on leave at the time of the reports and were not performing air traffic control duties. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly supported FAA action, stating that a small percentage abusing the system will not be tolerated. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association is actively discussing these allegations with FAA leadership and called those discussions the appropriate forum.
Following
a similar fatal crash at LaGuardia in 1997, controllers were ordered not to combine roles before midnight, but this order was bypassed on March 22, 2026. Staffing shortages and six-day workweeks drive an informal practice known as “early shove,” where some controllers leave early — a form of timecard fraud identified by the FAA.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “The vast majority of air traffic controllers are great patriots — they show up for work, complete their full shift, and come back and do it all again. But when a small percentage of individuals take advantage of the American taxpayer,
unfairly add additional work to their fellow controllers, and impact the airspace — we have no choice but to act. We will not tolerate fraud, and we are taking appropriate action to hold folks accountable and prevent unlawful practices from disrupting the traveling public.” The FAA also stated, “The FAA is committed to holding employees accountable, and we will not compromise the safety or efficiency of the National Airspace System.”
The National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into the crash, with the final report expected within 12 to 24 months. The collision caused LaGuardia Airport to shut down for
more than 12 hours. Among the injured was flight attendant Solange Tremblay, who suffered leg fractures after being thrown from the plane.
