A chilling audio has revealed the high-pressure moments leading up to the fatal collision involving an Air Canada flight and a fire truck at LaGuardia airport on Sunday.
The two pilots operating the Air Canada flight were killed in the crash. At least 41 passengers and crew were shifted hospital. Two of the police officers on the fire truck suffered broken bones in the impact.
In the dramatic LiveATC recording that has emerged, one of the air traffic controllers can be heard admitting that he may have “messed up”.
The air traffic controller can be heard giving permission for the fire truck to cross the runway but immediately demands to vehicle to stop seconds before the collision occurred.
“Truck 1, stop, stop, stop. Stop Truck 1. Stop,” the controller can be heard shouting moments before the crash.
Then he turns back to the flight, “Jazz 646, I see you collided with the vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can’t move. Vehicles are responding to you now.”
The controller also immediately asked another incoming flight, operated by Frontier Airlines, to divert from the runway.
Responding to the controller, the pilot of the Frontier flight says, “That wasn’t good to watch.”
“I tried to reach out to stop them. We were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up,” the controller admits.
“No, you did the best you could,” the Frontier pilot replies, trying to reassure the controller.
Viral videos from the scene showed the front of the aircraft fuselage severely damaged. The debris could also be seen hanging from the mangled cockpit.
