New York's LaGuardia closes after Air Canada jet hits airport vehicle
The CRJ-900 from Montreal reportedly collided with a fire truck on Runway 4, injuring four people and diverting arriving flights.
- An Air Canada Express jet arriving from Montreal struck a ground vehicle, reportedly a fire truck, while landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport.
- The collision prompted the immediate closure of the airport, with the FAA expecting it to remain closed until the following afternoon, causing flights to be diverted.
- According to reports, four people were injured, including the pilot and co-pilot, and the aircraft sustained visible damage to its nose.
New York’s LaGuardia airport was closed late on Sunday (March 22) after an Air Canada Express regional jet struck a ground vehicle while landing, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
The aircraft involved was a CRJ-900 arriving from Montreal.
Flightradar24 said the jet hit the vehicle at about 24 miles per hour (39 kph), with its last recorded data point logged at 11.37pm ET (0337 GMT).
Photographs taken by Reuters after the incident showed visible damage to the nose of the aircraft, with the front section tilted upward.
NBC News, citing sources, reported that the vehicle was a fire truck manned by police officers and that four people were injured.
According to the report, the pilot and co-pilot were badly hurt, while a sergeant and an officer suffered broken limbs and were in stable condition at a hospital.
Authorities and emergency agencies did not immediately comment on the reported injuries.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the airport was expected to remain closed until 2pm ET on Monday (1800 GMT).
LaGuardia’s website showed that arriving flights were either diverted to other airports or sent back to their points of origin.
The aircraft was operated by Jazz, Air Canada’s regional partner, which is owned by Chorus Aviation.
Air Canada’s website says Jazz’s CRJ-900 aircraft can carry up to 76 passengers.
NBC News reported that 76 passengers and four crew members were on board.
Air Canada, Chorus Aviation, the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The New York Fire Department said it was responding to a reported incident on Runway 4 at LaGuardia involving a plane and a vehicle, and directed further enquiries to Port Authority Police.
That agency also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
New York City’s emergency notification system warned of cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel operating near the airport.
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, LaGuardia handled more than 30 million passengers in 2025, with a wide range of US airlines operating at the airport.
Reuters
