Authorities are investigating why a runway warning system failed to activate before a collision between an Air Canada aircraft and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
RELATED: Two pilots tragically killed in plane-fire truck collision at LaGuardia airport
According to a statement from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the airport, both pilots died in the crash. Sources have confirmed that the pilots were Canadian, as reported by law enforcement to CBS News.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairwoman Jennifer Homendy stated in a recent press conference that the warning system malfunctioned since the fire truck lacked an appropriate transponder.
The aircraft, which had over 70 passengers onboard, struck the fire truck while landing late Sunday night, resulting in the death of both pilots and injuries to several passengers. Fortunately, most passengers managed to escape the damaged aircraft, while a flight attendant survived being ejected from her seat during the impact.
Several questions remain surrounding the incident, particularly regarding the fire truck’s presence on the runway during the plane’s landing and why it did not halt despite urgent alerts from the control tower.
Homendy indicated that NTSB investigators have yet to analyze data from the flight data recorder but have reviewed surveillance footage and still need to interview the firefighters involved to determine their actions during the crash.
A significant number of flights were canceled, with about 25% of LaGuardia’s operations disrupted on the following Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com. The runway where the incident occurred will likely remain closed for several days as investigators inspect the site, with much debris to assess.
