Two air traffic controllers left LaGuardia Airport’s control tower early on March 22, the night an Air Canada Express flight collided with an airport fire truck on a runway, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The disclosure adds a staffing question to the review of the crash. However, the available account does not establish that either departure caused or contributed to the collision.
Investigators Face a Key Timing Question
The timing of the controllers’ exits will likely receive close attention. Investigators will need to determine who was working when the aircraft and fire truck entered the runway area.
They also will need to examine whether the tower had enough personnel to manage traffic safely. That review could include shift records, radio calls, surveillance material and instructions issued before impact.
Two controllers “left work early” on the night of the collision, according to the source familiar with the investigation.
The phrase leaves several facts unresolved. It does not reveal how early the controllers departed, whether supervisors approved their exits or what duties they held.
It also remains unclear whether other controllers took over their positions. Without those details, any link between staffing and the collision would be premature.
Runway Safety Depends on Clear Coordination
Airport control towers coordinate aircraft and authorized ground vehicles moving near active runways. Even routine operations require precise instructions and confirmation from everyone involved.
A collision involving a passenger aircraft and an emergency vehicle can result from several possible failures. These may include misunderstood instructions, timing errors, blocked sightlines or confusion about runway access.
The investigation will need to separate those possibilities rather than treat the early departures as an answer. In aviation reviews, the obvious clue is not always the useful one.
Several questions now sit at the center of the case:
- Which controllers were on duty at the moment of impact?
- Were the early departures approved and properly recorded?
- Who cleared the aircraft and fire truck to move?
- Did staffing affect workload, monitoring or communication?
Accountability Requires More Evidence
The source’s account is significant because tower staffing can affect workload and oversight. Yet it represents one part of a wider operational picture.
No information provided so far identifies the controllers, explains why they left or describes any disciplinary action. The account also does not state whether injuries occurred or how badly the aircraft and truck were damaged.
Air Canada Express, airport officials and the controllers were not quoted in the available information. Their responses will be important for a balanced assessment of the event.
The most important next step is a verified timeline. That record should show each vehicle’s movement, every radio instruction and the staffing level inside the tower.
For now, the early departures create a serious line of inquiry, not a finding of fault. Investigators must determine whether the staffing change was routine, improper or relevant to the crash. Their final evidence will decide whether March 22 exposed an isolated mistake or a wider safety gap at LaGuardia.
