A serious incident at one of New York City’s busiest airports brought LaGuardia to a standstill Monday evening when an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle upon landing, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an immediate ground stop and forcing arriving flights to be diverted to other airports across the region.
The collision unfolded as the CRJ-900 aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation as Air Canada’s regional partner, touched down after arriving from Montreal. The jet struck the ground vehicle at approximately 24 miles per hour, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24. Unverified footage circulating on social media showed visible damage to the nose of the aircraft, which appeared to tilt upward in the aftermath of the impact, though Reuters was unable to immediately confirm the authenticity of that footage.
What the FAA did and what it means for travelers
The FAA moved quickly after the incident, issuing a ground stop for all aircraft at LaGuardia until at least 5:30 a.m. GMT, with a separate notice to airmen indicating the airport could remain shut until 6:00 p.m. GMT. The FAA’s official notice cited an emergency as the reason for the halt and flagged a high probability that the closure would be extended beyond the initial timeframe, without providing specific details about the nature or severity of the incident on the ground.
LaGuardia’s website reflected the full scope of the disruption, showing that arriving aircraft had been diverted to other airports or directed to return to their points of origin. For the thousands of passengers who had flights scheduled into LaGuardia on Monday evening and into Tuesday morning, the closure represents a significant and potentially lengthy disruption to travel plans at an airport that was already under strain from ongoing staffing challenges affecting the broader aviation industry.
Emergency responders on the scene
The New York City Fire Department confirmed in a statement that it was responding to a reported incident involving a plane and a vehicle on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, though the department did not provide additional details about injuries, the condition of those involved, or the extent of damage to either the aircraft or the ground vehicle at the time of the initial statement.
Air Canada and the FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the incident. Further details about what caused the collision, how many people were aboard the aircraft, and the current condition of anyone involved in the incident were not immediately available.
LaGuardia at a critical moment
Monday evening’s collision arrives at a particularly sensitive moment for American aviation. LaGuardia, one of the three major airports serving the New York metropolitan area, has been among the facilities most affected by the TSA staffing shortages tied to the ongoing partial government shutdown, with call-outs and long security lines already creating significant passenger disruption in recent weeks.
An airport closure of this nature — particularly one with a high probability of extension according to FAA notices — has the potential to send ripple effects through the entire northeastern aviation network, delaying and disrupting flights at Newark, JFK, and other regional airports as aircraft and crews find themselves out of position for their scheduled routes.
The FAA and Air Canada are expected to provide updated information as the situation develops through the early morning hours.
Source: Reuters / Flightradar24 / FAA
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