NEW YORK (AP) — It took less than a minute for a routine landing to spiral into a deadly crash Sunday at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The collision between an Air Canada flight and a fire truck crossing the runway was the culmination of a series of events that began much earlier.
The Associated Press created this timeline based on a review of air traffic control recordings, Federal Aviation Administration data, publicly available flight tracking, and information from the National Transportation Safety Board, including content from the jet’s cockpit voice recorder.
A late departure from Montreal
10:12 p.m.: Air Canada Express Flight 8646 leaves Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, over two hours late, contributing to congestion as it arrives at a busy LaGuardia.
Ground issues complicate the situation
11:16:42 p.m.: A United plane aborts its takeoff due to a warning light, later reporting an unusual odor onboard.
11:22:24 p.m.: Concerns escalate as the United pilot describes the odor but struggles to obtain a gate assignment. Emergency services are on alert.
Flight 8646 is cleared to land
11:34 p.m.: Flight 8646 is instructed to contact LaGuardia control tower for final landing instructions.
11:35 p.m.: The flight receives clearance to land on Runway 4/22 amidst ongoing ground complications.
Collision occurs during landing
11:37:15 p.m.: Just as Flight 8646 begins its landing, air traffic control clears a fire truck to cross the same runway. Despite urgent instructions to stop, the truck is struck moments later as the plane touches down.
Aftermath of the crash
Immediate rescue operations launch as air traffic controllers grapple with the shocking incident. An inquiry is set to uncover the full details of this tragedy, highlighting crucial lessons for flight safety.
