Air Canada Express flight attendant survives LaGuardia crash ejection, two pilots dead

Quick summary

An Air Canada Express flight attendant survived ejection from a crashed aircraft at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026, after flight AC8646 collided with a fire truck during landing, killing both pilots and injuring 41 passengers and crew. Solange Tremblay was found outside the wreckage still strapped to her jumpseat with multiple fractures but conscious.

The airport remains closed indefinitely as NTSB and TSB investigators examine why a single air traffic controller cleared the fire truck onto an active runway. All Air Canada Express flights from Montreal to LaGuardia face cancellations through at least March 25.

A flight attendant thrown from an Air Canada Express aircraft during a fatal runway collision at LaGuardia Airport survived the ejection while still strapped to her jumpseat — a survival her family is calling miraculous.

Solange Tremblay was working flight AC8646 from Montreal when the Bombardier CRJ-900 struck an airport fire truck on runway 4 at 11:47 pm on March 22. The impact killed both pilots and sent Tremblay through a breach in the fuselage. Emergency responders found her outside the wreckage, conscious and secured to her jumpseat, suffering multiple fractures but no life-threatening injuries.

The crash occurred as the aircraft landed during an emergency response to a separate United Airlines incident. A single air traffic controller was managing all traffic when the fire truck was cleared onto the active runway. 72 passengers and crew were aboard the flight.

41 people remain hospitalized as of March 23, with 32 discharged. No additional fatalities have been reported beyond the two pilots, both Jazz Aviation employees.

What happened during the collision

Flight AC8646 was on final approach to LaGuardia’s runway 4 when it collided with an airport fire truck responding to a United Airlines emergency on a parallel taxiway. The CRJ-900 regional jet, operated by Jazz Aviation under the Air Canada Express brand, struck the vehicle during the landing roll.

The force of the impact breached the aircraft fuselage near the rear galley where Tremblay was seated in a rear-facing jumpseat. She was ejected through the opening but remained secured to the seat by her harness — a configuration designed to protect crew during sudden deceleration events. Her daughter confirmed she suffered fractures to multiple bones but was conscious when found.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Safety Board of Canada have deployed investigators to the crash site. Initial reports indicate the single controller on duty was managing both the United emergency and routine traffic when the fire truck entered the active runway.

How runway incursions happen at major airports

LaGuardia operates under Class B airspace rules requiring constant coordination between tower controllers, ground controllers, and emergency responders. The airport handles 400+ daily movements across two intersecting runways, with fire trucks stationed at multiple points for rapid response.

When an emergency is declared — as occurred with the United Airlines incident preceding the crash — fire trucks are cleared to cross active runways under controller instruction. The system depends on a single controller maintaining awareness of all aircraft positions, emergency vehicle locations, and active clearances simultaneously.

In this case, the controller managing both the emergency response and routine landing traffic cleared the fire truck onto runway 4 while AC8646 was on final approach. Whether the clearance was issued in error or the truck entered prematurely remains under investigation.

Immediate steps for affected travelers

LaGuardia’s closure creates cascading delays across the Northeast corridor, with Air Canada Express passengers facing the most direct impact.

• Check flight status immediately via the Air Canada app or Jazz Aviation website — all YUL–LGA departures through March 25 are canceled, with rebooking available at no charge.
• Request alternate routing through Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Newark (EWR), or JFK if your travel is time-sensitive — Air Canada has added capacity on these routes to absorb displaced passengers.
• Monitor airport reopening announcements from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — runway 4 will remain closed until the NTSB completes its on-site investigation, typically 3–7 days for fatal crashes.
• File claims for out-of-pocket expenses if you incur hotel or meal costs due to the cancellation — US DOT rules require reimbursement for delays caused by airline operational issues, though this incident may fall under force majeure.
• Consider alternate carriers if rebooking through Air Canada shows delays beyond 48 hours — United Airlines operates 21 weekly flights on the YUL–LGA route with availability on E175 regional jets.

Watch: The TSB field report, expected within 7–14 days, will clarify whether vehicle clearance procedures or controller staffing contributed to the collision. If runway incursion protocols are cited, expect operational restrictions at LaGuardia that could extend delays into early April.

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