A late-night aviation incident involving an Air Canada Express regional jet and a ground vehicle forced the temporary shutdown of New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday, triggering emergency responses, flight diversions and investigations by US authorities. Here are five key developments from the incident.
1. Air Canada Express plane collided with ground vehicle
An Air Canada Express plane struck a Port Authority ground vehicle shortly after landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night. The aircraft, operated by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz Aviation, had arrived from Montreal and was involved in the collision on Runway 4.
2. Incident occurred minutes after landing
According to flight tracking data, Flight AC8646 landed at approximately 11:37 p.m. local time. The aircraft — a CRJ-900 regional jet — reportedly hit the vehicle at around 24 miles per hour during runway operations shortly afterward.
3. Airport shut down and flights diverted
Following the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a ground stop at LaGuardia, temporarily closing the airport to incoming flights. Arriving aircraft from across the US and Canada were diverted to other airports or sent back to their origin points as emergency crews responded.
4. Damage reported and possible injuries
Images from the scene showed visible damage to the nose of the aircraft, which appeared tilted upward. Reports indicated that several people may have been injured, including the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft and personnel in the responding vehicle, though authorities did not immediately confirm casualties.
5. Investigation launched into the incident
Emergency services, including firefighters and police, responded to the scene after the crash was reported around 11:38 p.m. Authorities closed the airport to facilitate response operations and allow investigators to determine what caused the collision.
Air Canada plane collision with fire truck shuts New York’s LaGuardia Airport: 5 things that happened
