Solange Tremblay, the flight attendant on the plane that crashed at LaGuardia Airport, had been seated RIGHT BEHIND the pilots when the tragedy
“But someone did say the pilot tried to reverse thrust at the last second. Honestly, they likely saved our lives. I wish I could tell their families how thankful I am. They are heroes
.”
Despite the severity of the incident, the passenger said they were physically unharmed but emotionally shaken, adding they felt “horribly sick” over those who died.
Travelers leave LaGuardia Airport after a collision between an Air Canada Express plane and a fire truck shut down operations in New York City on March 23, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
The Scene Left Behind
A reported footage from the scene showed an emergency fire truck crushed against the nose of the plane.
More details from BBC live said the aircraft, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, had arrived from Montreal on Sunday evening, March 22, and was traveling at about 24 mph.
A traveler looks at canceled flight schedules on a screen at Terminal B in LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
A separate BBC update laid out the broader sequence of events. According to that timeline, the Air Canada flight departed Montreal at 10:12 p.m. ET, more than two hours behind schedule.
Minutes before 11:40 p.m., a Port Authority rescue and firefighting vehicle was dispatched to assist with a separate issue involving a plane at LaGuardia that had requested support. At about that same time, the aircraft collided with the truck on the ground while landing.
Port Authority representative gives press conference after an An Air Canada Express plane colliding with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026, in New York City | Source: YouTube/NBC New York
Emergency crews responded right away after the impact. By 3:09 a.m., LaGuardia said the airport was closed because of the incident, and around 3:30 a.m., the first portion of the National Transportation Safety Board team arrived.
At 4:48 a.m., Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said two Air Canada pilots had died, and nine people remained in the hospital. Two Port Authority police officers were also badly injured.
Port Authority representative gives press conference after an An Air Canada Express plane colliding with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026, in New York City | Source: YouTube/NBC New York
Additionally, she said the airport would stay closed until at least 2:00 p.m. local time so investigators could continue processing the scene. Federal and local investigations are now underway.
Further updates said 41 passengers and crew members were taken to hospitals, along with two officers who had been inside the ground vehicle, while 32 of those hospitalized have since been released.
Warnings Raised Before the Crash
Pilots have raised concerns in recent years about potential hazards at LaGuardia Airport, including miscommunication and air traffic control challenges, according to a CNN review of government safety reports.
Some warnings were urgent. In one report submitted last summer to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System, a pilot described a close call involving unclear guidance from controllers and urged action, writing, “Please do something.”
Other reports pointed to increasing pressure on operations at the airport. One pilot noted that the pace of activity was intensifying, adding that controllers appeared to be operating at their limits, particularly during severe weather.
Planes parked at LaGuardia Airport after flight cancellations in New York City on March 23, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
These concerns have drawn renewed attention following the collision between an Air Canada plane and a fire truck during landing.
A Routine Problem Turned Urgent
According to an NBC New York report, the trouble began when Flight 2384 declared an emergency after flight attendants in the back of the aircraft reportedly became sick because of an odd smell.
The urgency came through almost immediately in the transcript of the recording. At 1:35, a voice said, “2384 is declaring an emergency. Flight Attendants in the back are feeling ill because of the odor. We will need to go into any available gates at this time.
