Posted on 03/23/2026 5:39:11 AM PDT by V_TWIN
Heart-pounding audio captured the frantic moments before Sunday’s fatal collision involving an Air Canada passenger plane and a firefighting truck at LaGuardia Airport — with one air traffic controller admitting after they “messed up.”
Air traffic controllers urged an incoming plane to go around as the crash unfolded on the ground, killing the jet’s pilot and co-pilot, according to LiveATC audio.
The truck was cleared to cross the airport’s Runway 4 before air traffic controllers urged a Frontier plane bound for Miami and the vehicle to stop.
“Stop, stop, stop, stop,” the controller frantically demanded. “Truck 1, stop, stop, stop. Stop, Truck 1. Stop.”
The controller ordered Delta Flight 2603, en route from Detroit, to go around before turning back to the Air Canada plane — a Jazz Aviation operated flight that touched down from Montreal.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Soon to be featured on “Air Disasters.”
The truck was cleared (twice) to cross the runway by the tower.
“Cross” isn’t really descriptive enough, you are right, an active runway is closed to vehicle or pedestrian traffic at all times unless clearance is requested and granted - which is what happened in this case.
The truck requested clearance (twice) and got it.
I odd part here is a United captain declaring an emergecy due to an odor smelled by FA. That was never resolved?
One of the most unprofessional ATC I have ever heard. Everybody but the poor pilots were wrong. At such a busy airport the truck driver did not expect an airplane on an active runway and LOOK?
Just saw a passenger interview. Said pilot slammed on the brakes hard but it was too late. Passenger thinks the pilot knew he was toast but did what he could. Guy said lots of passengers hurt.
This is the ATC guy’s fault all the way.
The truck couldn’t go around? Go to the end of an active runway?
Yes they do. Nothing moves on the runways without ATC approval. ATC screwed up.
Laguardia airport is built on the edge of the water.
See the image of Laguardia in Post 29.
Guy was being honest and taking responsibility for a failure that killed people. He’s 8n his own hell of guilt and does not need scorn. What is the way to prevent this in the future?
Families are crushed, moreso than he, but they all need to mourn and let God assume His authority, which will happen regardless. Devote your remaining life to love, however you already have, and let God be in control of each moment, just love others, help others, as you are too numb to help uourself well.
Never should have happened.
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I agree with you. Why didn't the truck stop? And: what are the odd that 2 planes would crash in the sky?
1. Landing, not taxiing.
2. Not sure where or why the 25 mph fallacy came from.
3. The Fire Truck operators were not at fault.
I’m not sure how you believe this was as bad as the DIE crash at Reagan.
67 dead there. 2 dead here.
...and let God assume His authority, which will happen regardless...
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God gave man free will. Humans make mistakes, some do evil acts. It is not God’s will. He does offer his love. But humans make mistakes.
3. The Fire Truck operators were not at fault.
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Why didn’t the truck stop?
Are fire trucks built that strong? (planes cant be built that strong, they need to fly)
From a News Nation release: “The CRJ-900 plane, which was coming from Montreal, struck the vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour, according to the flight tracking website FlightRadar24.”
I assumed it was on a taxiway or at the end of a roll-out.
You are correct. I mean bad at human error and questions why the truck didn’t stop.
Who’s to say the truck did or did not stop? Either way it was going to get hit. And it did.
The ground control order to stop came too late.
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