Minute-by-Minute: How LaGuardia Airport Crash Unfolded in Seconds

A routine Air Canada flight landing at LaGuardia Airport turned deadly when the aircraft collided with a fire truck crossing the runway. Federal investigators have released a detailed timeline showing how a series of events, including an emergency on another plane, led to the fatal crash in just seconds.

What began as a standard aircraft landing at LaGuardia Airport transformed into a fatal disaster in under 60 seconds Sunday night. The crash between an Air Canada aircraft and an emergency fire truck crossing the runway resulted from a chain of circumstances that started hours before impact.

The Associated Press compiled this detailed chronology using air traffic control audio recordings, Federal Aviation Administration data, flight tracking information, and National Transportation Safety Board findings, including details from the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder.

The Air Canada Express Flight 8646, run by Jazz Aviation, departed Montreal at 10:12 p.m., running more than two hours behind schedule. When the plane approached New York, it joined numerous other delayed flights, some circling while waiting for available gates.

Meanwhile, United Flight 2384 was experiencing problems on the ground. At 11:16:42 p.m., the United aircraft canceled its takeoff for the second time due to an anti-ice warning indicator. Four minutes later, the United pilot radioed: “We have an odor on the plane as well here at this time. We are going to be going back to the gate, request fire as well,” asking for airport fire rescue assistance.

Another pilot joined the radio conversation at 11:21:12 p.m., saying: “If that’s a sewer smell … we smelled that too going around the terminal there.”

When a controller questioned whether it was smoke, the United pilot replied at 11:22:24 p.m.: “No, it was a weird odor. I don’t know exactly how to describe it,” adding that no gate assignment was available.

The controller confirmed no gates were open at 11:24:49 p.m. and asked: “Do you still need us to send fire there?” The pilot confirmed yes due to the strange smell.

By 11:27:44 p.m., United 2384’s pilot reported no plans to evacuate passengers, and controllers directed the aircraft to a different taxiway. Three minutes later, the United plane took a wrong turn but controllers seemed unconcerned, with one saying: “You can just stay over there … and we’ll have the guys go over there.”

The situation escalated at 11:31:41 p.m. when United 2384 declared an emergency. The pilot stated: “The flight attendants in the back are feeling ill because of the odor. We will need to go into any available gate at this time.”

Controllers again confirmed at 11:33:39 p.m. that no gates remained available, but offered fire trucks and stairs for potential evacuation, telling the pilot: “Let me know if you do.”

As this emergency unfolded, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 continued its approach. At 11:34:18 p.m., approach controllers handed the flight over to the airport tower for final landing guidance. One minute later, Flight 8646 received clearance to land on Runway 4/22.

At 11:36:45 p.m., an airport controller asked: “Is there a vehicle that needed to cross the runway?”

Fifteen seconds later, a firefighter radioed: “Truck 1 and company, LaGuardia Tower, requesting to cross 4 at Delta,” seeking permission to use Taxiway D to cross Runway 4 — the identical runway where Flight 8646 was approaching.

At 11:37:05 p.m., the controller authorized: “Truck 1 and company cross 4 at Delta.” At the same moment on another radio frequency, the United pilot with the odor problem finally received gate clearance.

Three seconds later, the firefighter confirmed: “Truck 1 and company crossing 4 at Delta.”

At 11:37:11 p.m., Flight 8646’s cockpit systems announced the aircraft was 50 feet above ground. One second later, a controller instructed a departing Frontier flight to halt on a taxiway.

At 11:37:15 p.m., as Flight 8646 approached the runway, a controller said: “Sorry, Truck 1.”

One second later, the same controller urgently commanded: “Stop. Stop Stop. Stop. Truck 1. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.”

Flight 8646’s landing gear touched the runway at 11:37:17 p.m., according to cockpit recordings. Two seconds later, the first officer handed aircraft control to the captain.

The controller continued shouting at 11:37:20 p.m.: “Stop Truck 1. Stop. Stop Truck 1. Stop.” Warning alarms began sounding during his transmission.

At 11:37:25 p.m., Flight 8646 struck the fire truck. The cockpit voice recorder went silent.

Twenty seconds later, controllers told the next arriving aircraft to abort its landing. The controller then attempted to contact Flight 8646’s crew: “I see you collided with a vehicle there. Just hold position. I know you can’t move. Vehicles are responding to you now.” Emergency responders rushed to the crash scene.

At 11:55:37 p.m., another pilot told controllers: “That wasn’t good to watch.” The controller responded: “Yeah, I know. I was here … We were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.” The pilot replied: “Nah, man, you did the best you could.”