'Stop, stop, stop!': ATC's desperate warning before LaGuardia crash
23 Mar 2026

An Air Canada Express plane collided with a ground vehicle at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Monday.

The incident reportedly involved a CRJ-900 aircraft operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada's regional partner.

The collision occurred when the aircraft was landing on runway four and struck a fire truck that had requested to cross the runway.

The incident was captured in an audio clip of the air traffic control (ATC) tower, which has since gone viral on social media.

ATC warning before collision goes viral
ATC alert

In the clip, an ATC officer is heard frantically shouting "Stop, stop, stop" to the truck driver just moments before impact.

The aircraft was landing from Montreal with over 100 passengers onboard at around 11:38pm local time when it collided with the vehicle.

The collision damaged the front of the aircraft, with images showing the aircraft on a wet runway.

Flights grounded, delays expected
Damage assessment

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since issued a ground stop for all flights at LaGuardia Airport until 0530 GMT.

In light of this incident, New York's emergency management authority has warned people to expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays, and emergency personnel near the airport in Queens borough.

Fire truck responding to United Airlines emergency call
Flight emergency

The fire truck was reportedly responding to an emergency declared on a United Airlines flight.

The United 737 Max had declared an emergency that prompted the request for fire trucks at the airport.

In a viral audio clip, the controller said, "Truck 1 and LaGuardia Tower are requesting to cross 4 at Delta."

"Stop, stop, stop. Truck 1, stop, stop, stop. Stop, Truck 1, stop!" the officer can be heard shouting in panic just before the crash.

Possible extension of ground stop, unverified casualty reports
Airport update

The FAA's notice to airmen indicated that LaGuardia Airport may remain closed until 1800 GMT.

The agency did not provide specific details for the emergency stop but hinted at a possible extension.

Meanwhile, several unconfirmed reports have emerged on social media about possible casualties from this incident. However, these reports remain unverified.