New details have emerged regarding the fatal accident at LaGuardia Airport in the United States. According to a statement released by the National Transportation Safety Board, the air traffic controller cleared a fire vehicle to cross the runway just 12 seconds before the Air Canada aircraft landed.
Officials noted that this short time frame was not sufficient to prevent the accident. Both pilots on board lost their lives, while some passengers on the Montreal-origin flight, which was carrying more than 70 people, were injured, though most survived.
As part of the investigation, the NTSB is examining how multiple safety layers may have simultaneously failed. Key focus areas include why the runway warning system did not activate, how air and ground traffic were coordinated, and whether the fire crew heard the last-minute stop instructions. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy emphasized that major accidents are rarely caused by a single error, stating that if something went wrong, multiple things likely failed at the same time.
It was also reported that only two air traffic controllers were on duty in the tower at the time of the incident, which is considered standard practice for night shifts. However, this has long been a subject of debate, particularly regarding whether such staffing levels are sufficient at busy major airports. On the night of the accident, traffic levels exceeded expectations due to delays, resulting in a highly demanding operational environment.
Meanwhile, controllers were also dealing with a separate emergency involving a United Airlines aircraft that reported a cabin odor while preparing for departure.
