On March 22, 2026, two air traffic controllers at LaGuardia Airport ended their shifts about an hour early, reducing the number of controllers on duty during a period of high air traffic affected by rain and thunderstorms. Shortly after landing, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with an airport fire truck on a LaGuardia runway, killing both pilots and seriously injuring six personnel on the ground.
The Air Canada Express flight arrived from Montreal, Canada, carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members. The controllers who left early did so before their scheduled shift ended, leaving only two controllers on duty
amid more than twice the typical air traffic volume at the New York City airport that night.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regards this early departure practice—known in the industry as an “early shove”—as timecard fraud. The FAA is actively pursuing termination proceedings against the two controllers involved. In 2026 alone, the FAA has fired over 10 controllers for alleged timecard fraud or abuse of leave policies and has hired more than 2,000 controllers, achieving roughly 94% of its hiring target for the year, to address staffing shortages contributing to travel delays.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized accountability, stating, “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.” He added, “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.” The National Air Traffic Controllers Association commented on the dedication of most controllers working under challenging staffing levels and noted ongoing discussions with FAA leadership regarding fraud allegations.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the March 22
collision, with a final report anticipated in about six months. The FAA stated its commitment to maintaining safety and efficiency in the national airspace and holding employees accountable while declining to disclose details on disciplinary timelines or broader impacts on flight operations linked to the incident.
