March 22, 2026 • New York, USA
Two Air Canada Pilots Dead at LaGuardia as Funding Is Diverted from Air Traffic Control to Middle East Wars – Full Infograph
A press conference detailing the collision between Air Canada Jazz flight 8646 and an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle on a runway. The incident resulted in two fatalities (the pilots), multiple injuries, and a prolonged airport closure to facilitate the NTSB investigation.
📝 SMikhail
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72
Passengers on Flight 8646
Number of passengers carried by the Air Canada Jazz aircraft involved in the collision.
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4
Crew Members
Number of crew members on the aircraft.
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2
ARF Vehicle Occupants
Number of officers in the aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle that collided with the plane.
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41
Transported to Hospital
Initial number of passengers and crew transported to hospitals (Elmhurst and Presbyterian in Queens).
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32
Released from Hospital
Number of transported individuals who had been released at the time of the press conference.
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9
Still Hospitalized
Number of individuals remaining in the hospital after releases; some with serious injuries.
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2
Fatalities
Confirmed fatalities: the two pilots of the aircraft.
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11:40 PM
Incident Time
Approximate time of the collision the previous night.
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Runway 4
Location
Runway where the collision occurred.
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3:30 AM
NTSB Arrival
Time the first portion of NTSB investigators arrived on site.
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2:00 PM
Earliest Reopening
The airport is expected to remain closed at least until 2:00 PM that afternoon, subject to NTSB investigation needs.
- Event: Collision between Air Canada Jazz flight 8646 and an Airport Authority ARF vehicle.
- Time: Approximately 11:40 PM the previous night.
- Location: Runway 4.
- Aircraft: Air Canada flight 8646, operated by Jazz, carried 72 passengers and 4 crew.
- Vehicle: Aircraft rescue and firefighter vehicle, carried 2 officers.
- Initial Casualty Numbers: 41 passengers and crew transported to hospital, 32 have been released. Some serious injuries.
- Fatalities: Two pilots confirmed deceased.
- The ARF vehicle was responding to another aircraft (operated by United) that had reported an issue with odor.
- The NTSB will investigate the specifics of the crash, including why the vehicle was on the runway.
- Mutual aid partners FDNY and NYPD immediately responded in accordance with the emergency plan.
- Initial numbers: 41 passengers and crew transported to hospital, as well as the two ARF officers.
- 32 individuals had been released from the hospital at the time of the press conference.
- The two officers (a sergeant and a police officer) were in stable condition with no life-threatening injuries. They were able to speak.
- The one unaccompanied minor was reunited with their family.
- Two pilots are confirmed deceased.
- Notifications are being made by Air Canada's care team.
- Families were directed to the Air Canada ticket counter to be reunited with their families.
- The one unaccompanied minor has been reunited with their family.
- The airport will be closed at least until 2:00 p.m. that afternoon to facilitate the investigation.
- The closure is subject to change depending on NTSB needs.
- The airport was operating normally before the incident. There were no reported weather conditions that contributed.
- The NTSB has begun the investigation.
- The first portion of NTSB arrived at approximately 3:30 AM.
- More investigators were anticipated to be on site around 6:00 AM.
- The NTSB will determine factors such as the speed of the aircraft at the time of collision and who was in the control tower.
- The investigation will determine what went on in the crash.
- Rescue Vehicle Task: The ARF vehicle was responding to another aircraft with an odor issue.
- Timing: The collision occurred during landing.
- Speed: The NTSB will determine the speed of the aircraft at the time of collision.
- ATC: The NTSB will determine who was in the control tower at the time.
- Ejection: Officials deferred to the investigation regarding any ejections from the aircraft.
- Vehicle Occupants: The two officers (sergeant and police officer) are in stable condition with no life-threatening injuries.
- Procedure: Vehicles must get clearance from the control tower to move on runways and taxiways.
- Current Status: Most passengers have left the terminal. Those not transported were reunited with families in a lounge. Few remain.
- NTSB Arrival: First portion arrived ~3:30 AM; more investigators expected ~6:00 AM.
- Airport Reopening: Earliest is 2:00 p.m., but subject to change based on the NTSB investigation.
- Passenger Count: All people on the plane have been accounted for.
- Hospitalized: Some of the nine individuals still hospitalized are serious.
- Fatalities: Two pilots are the confirmed fatalities.
- Preliminary Information: The number of transported (41) and released (32) is preliminary and could change.
KEY QUOTES
At this time, the two fatalities are the pilots.
We have two deceased uh who are who were transported in by uh the medical examiner's office
the two officers, the sergeant and the police officer are in stable condition with no life-threatening industry injury.
the NTSB will investigate exactly what went on in this crash and I will defer to them in all of those aspects.
They have to get clearance from the tower to move on our runways and our taxiways.
the airport will be closed at least until 2:00 p.m. this afternoon to facilitate the investigation by NTSB
that the ARF vehicle was responding to another aircraft operated by United that had reported an issue with odor.
We know that we there all people who were on the plane have been accounted for.
aircraft collision
Air Canada
Jazz
runway
ARF vehicle
NTSB
FDNY
NYPD
pilot fatalities
airport closure
investigation
press conference