Air Canada attendant thrown 330 ft in crash survives the fall

An Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, leaving two crew members dead and several others injured. Among the survivors was a flight attendant who was thrown 330 ft. from the aircraft while still strapped into her seat.

The incident happened during the final landing movement on the runway.

Air Canada flight attendant thrown 330 ft in La Guardia crash
The crew member, identified as Solange Tremblay, was found by responders still secured to her jump seat after being thrown from the aircraft. She suffered multiple fractures to one leg and is expected to undergo surgery.

Her daughter, speaking to a Canadian broadcaster, TVA Nouvelles, said her survival was unexpected. “She was still strapped to her seat,” she said, describing the moment first responders reached her. She added that it felt like “a total miracle,” and said she was still trying to understand how the sequence of events unfolded.

Air Canada LaGuardia crash: What happened on the runway

The aircraft – a CRJ-900 operated by Air Canada Express – was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. During landing, it struck a fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway.

The vehicle had been dispatched to check another aircraft that had earlier aborted takeoff after reporting a ‘strange odour.’

Surveillance footage shows the moment of impact. The plane and the truck collided head-on, both continuing down the runway before coming to a stop.

The moment flight #AC8646 collided with the fire truck at La Guardia. pic.twitter.com/Y7NRwzUNOm

— HoCStaffer (@HoCStaffer) March 23, 2026

Air traffic control audio captures confusion in the final seconds. A controller can be heard issuing a warning – “Stop, stop, stop” – directed at the vehicle. Shortly after, the same controller acknowledged an error, saying, “I messed up.”

“We were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up”: Audio has been released of the air traffic controllers working at LaGuardia Airport in New York City when a deadly crash occurred on the runway on Sunday. Two pilots were killed when an Air Canada plane collided with a… pic.twitter.com/B31iUMIfcA

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 23, 2026

Passenger account: “People were bleeding” after impact

Passengers described a sudden shift just before landing. One traveller said the aircraft encountered turbulence during descent, followed by a sharp braking motion and a loud impact.

“Everybody just jolted out of their seats. People hit their heads. People were bleeding,” passenger Rebecca Liquori said. She added that passengers helped each other exit by climbing out along the wing.

Several passengers sustained injuries. Emergency services transported the injured to nearby hospitals.

Investigation into the LaGuardia crash underway

Authorities confirmed that both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash. Officials from aviation agencies have begun an investigation into runway coordination and communication between ground vehicles and aircraft.

The incident comes at a time when US aviation systems are under strain – with reported shortages of air traffic controllers and operational staff.

Investigators are focusing on reconstructing the sequence of events that led to the collision, while authorities continue to assess injuries and support those affected.