March 23, 2026: NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) investigators are at the scene of an accident at New York LaGuardia Airport where an Air Canada passenger jet collided with a Port Authority fire truck on the runway. [Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Reuters]

Authorities temporarily suspended air traffic at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday following a collision between an Air Canada Express passenger jet and a fire truck, according to officials.

The regional jet, operated by Jazz Airlines and flying from Montreal, crashed shortly after landing, killing the pilot and co-pilot.

The aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, according to reports.

The jet involved in the accident was traveling at 100 miles per hour when it collided with the fire truck.

Seventy-one people were transported to nearby hospitals with minor injuries, including two Port Authority police officers who were in the fire truck, according to reports.

The fire truck was on the runway to respond to an incident involving another flight.

The incident, which occurred just before midnight, added to the turmoil already plaguing the airline industry, which is grappling with long lines due to a temporary closure by the Department of Homeland Security. Security officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), part of Homeland Security, are currently working without pay.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dispatched investigators to the scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop order, halting operations at LaGuardia, New York City's second-busiest airport.

“The NTSB is sending a Go-Team to investigate the March 22 accident involving Air Canada Express flight 8646, a CRJ900 aircraft operated by Jazz Aviation, which collided with a fire truck on runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport,” the NTSB said.

On-site footage showed the front of the aircraft tilted upwards with significant damage to its nose, and a Port Authority fire truck lying on its side.

The fire truck had been dispatched to an incident involving a United Airlines flight that had aborted takeoff due to an anti-icing warning light, CBS News reported. Crew members had reported a strange smell onboard and requested the fire department's assistance. Pilots declared an emergency, citing crew members feeling unwell.

By Reporter-General Sung Ku Hong, Special Contributor to this paper NNP info@newsandpost.com