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Controllers left early
Two LaGuardia Airport air traffic controllers left their posts about an hour early on March 22, before an Air Canada Express flight collided with a Port Authority fire truck, killing both pilots and injuring dozens, according to ABC News and the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report in April.
“The Federal Aviation Administration is looking to fire two LaGuardia Airport air traffic controllers who went home early on March 22”
ABC News said the FAA is looking to fire the two controllers and that the agency is investigating allegations the unidentified controllers left about an hour early before the Air Canada Express jet and the rescue-and-firefighting vehicle collided, citing The Wall Street Journal.
The crash involved Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, which was landing at LaGuardia after a short flight from Montreal, with the jet striking the truck moments after touchdown.
CNN reported that the two pilots of Air Canada Express Flight 8646 were killed when the jet collided with an airport fire truck just after landing, and that the FAA is considering disciplinary action against the controllers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement, "But when a small percentage of individuals take advantage of the American taxpayer, unfairly add additional work to their fellow controllers and impact the airspace — we have no choice but to act."
Union disputes and FAA
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said it is discussing the allegations with FAA leadership, with ABC News quoting the union that it is "discussing these allegations with FAA leadership" and that "We believe those discussions are the appropriate forum for addressing the matter," according to its statement.
CNN reported that the union would not confirm that controllers were being disciplined and said NATCA is "actively discussing these allegations with FAA leadership," while the FAA said it is committed to holding employees accountable.
Jalopnik said the FAA discovered that two air traffic controllers left their posts early before the crash and that the agency is now moving to fire the employees this week, while noting that the FAA is not certain if the early departures played a direct role in the crash.
Jalopnik also said only two controllers were in LaGuardia's tower when the March crash occurred and that investigators were initially confused because it didn't reflect official records.
In a statement, the FAA said, "We will not tolerate fraud, and we are taking appropriate action to hold folks accountable and prevent unlawful practices from disrupting the traveling public," as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy framed the crackdown on early departures as action against timecard fraud.
Aftermath and what’s at risk
The crash prompted LaGuardia to shut down for roughly 14 hours and led to hundreds of flights being cancelled, with the Canadian Travel News account describing the accident as unfolding in under two minutes and both pilots being killed.
“LaGuardia shut down for roughly 14 hours, and hundreds of flights were cancelled”
Canadian Travel News said dozens of passengers, crew members and the two firefighters on the truck were injured, with several hospitalised, and that audio from the tower captured the controller repeatedly, almost 12 times in the fleeting 10 seconds or so, warning the truck to stop just moments before the impact.
The FAA’s actions are tied to workplace conduct and timecard irregularities, with the FAA seeking to fire the two controllers while the NTSB continues to investigate and has not yet concluded its final report, according to Aviacionline and the Canadian Travel News description of the final report timeline.
Aviacionline said the March 22, 2026 crash was LaGuardia’s first fatal accident in 34 years and that the two controllers left in the cab had no relief or additional support during a shift with unusually high workload due to storms, delays and the handling of a parallel emergency.
The stakes described in the sources include staffing and safety oversight, with Jalopnik warning that the practice might be inflating official staffing statistics at understaffed air traffic control facilities and with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy saying the FAA will not tolerate fraud that disrupts the traveling public.