‘Like the plane got cut in half’: LaGuardia crash that killed two pilots now under investigation
‘Like the plane got cut in half’: LaGuardia crash that killed two pilots now under investigation
On Sunday night, Air Canada flight AC8646 collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to over 40 others. The incident, which occurred at 23:40 local time, left passengers and witnesses in shock, with the airport temporarily closed until Monday morning.
Leo Medina, a 23-year-old traveler on another plane, recounted the moment of impact. “We were just 100 meters away,” he said, describing the plane as “like the plane got cut in half.” After the crash, he returned to the gate and spent more than 12 hours waiting, sleeping on the floor surrounded by jackets.
“As you see from last night, they do save lives,” said Sean Duffy, US Secretary of Transportation, after inspecting the crash site. The remark highlighted the importance of seat belts during the emergency.
Antoine Forest, a 30-year-old Canadian pilot, was among those who lost their lives. The other pilot remains unidentified. FAA administrator Bran Bedford called the tragedy “an absolute tragedy,” noting both were early in their careers.
Rebecca Liquori, a passenger from Montreal, described the chaos. “There was a loud boom just after landing,” she said. “We hit turbulence as we descended, then landed roughly… it was like the plane jolted, and you heard the pilot trying to brake.”
“Everyone jolted out of their seats,” Liquori added, emphasizing the suddenness of the event. She recounted passengers sliding down the wing to escape, highlighting the plane’s abrupt stop.
Audio from LaGuardia’s air traffic control tower captured a staff member shouting, “Truck One, stop, stop, stop!” moments before the crash. The fire truck had been dispatched earlier to assist with an odor complaint from another plane.
Passenger Jack Cabot told CNN that the crash turned a routine landing into pandemonium. “We went down for a regular landing,” he said, “then hit something—chaos from there… everyone was screaming and hunkered down.”
CBS News reported that a flight attendant was found alive after falling through the aircraft’s floor during the collision. She suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, Katie Rojas, 26, who was on the runway for her Chicago flight, said, “It’s scary. You never know if it could have been one of us.”
Investigation and Response
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani labeled the incident a “tragic collision” and praised the quick actions of first responders. “We will not rest until the conclusion of that investigation,” he said, as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched its inquiry.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney called the crash “deeply saddening,” while US President Donald Trump described it as “a dangerous business.” The event marked the first fatal incident at LaGuardia in over three decades, according to officials.
With LaGuardia among the busiest US airports, the crash disrupted hundreds of flights, causing delays and cancellations. The closure lasted until 14:00 Monday, underscoring the severity of the disruption amid ongoing TSA staffing challenges linked to the Department of Homeland Security’s shutdown.
