Overview
- On March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express jet landing at LaGuardia struck a Port Authority firetruck, killing both pilots and injuring dozens after the truck had been cleared to cross the runway.
- An NTSB preliminary report found a critical communication breakdown on the tower frequencies, last-second 'stop' transmissions, and that the firetruck lacked a transponder that would have shown its position on controller displays.
- The FAA has concluded two additional controllers clocked out about an hour early that night and is pursuing termination while those employees are on leave as the agency reviews possible timecard fraud.
- The agency and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy framed the firings as part of a wider crackdown on controllers leaving shifts early, a practice known in the industry as an "early shove," and the union says it is discussing the allegations with FAA leadership.
- Regulators have also moved to fix operational gaps by speeding hiring of controllers and funding a $16.5 million program to equip airport rescue vehicles with transponders to improve ground-vehicle tracking.