NASHVILLE, Tenn. — (March 24, 2026) — In the wake of a deadly late-night collision at LaGuardia Airport, a nationally recognized aviation attorney says investigators should focus on air traffic control and cockpit recordings that could quickly reveal what went wrong.
The crash occurred around 11:40 p.m. on March 22, when Air Canada Flight 8646, arriving from Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, collided with a Port Authority fire truck on the runway. The aircraft, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900, sustained catastrophic damage to its nose. The captain and first officer were killed. More than 40 passengers and crew members, along with two Port Authority officers, were injured. The fire truck overturned on impact.
An air traffic controller reportedly cleared the emergency vehicle onto the airfield to respond to a separate onboard incident involving a United Airlines flight, where an odor had been reported. The controller then issued urgent instructions for the vehicle to stop moments before the collision.
“This appears to be a breakdown in critical, real-time communication,” said Keith Williams of The Keith Williams Law Group. “The cockpit voice recorder, tower audio, and ground control communications will be central to understanding how a vehicle and an arriving aircraft ended up on the same runway.”
Williams noted that investigators will likely examine whether air traffic control procedures were followed, how directives were communicated and acknowledged, and whether staffing levels or workload may have contributed to the incident.
“Any lapse — whether in communication clarity, timing, or staffing — can have devastating consequences in a high-traffic environment like LaGuardia,” Williams said. “These recordings will tell us not only what was said, but how quickly crews were able to react.”
Federal investigators are expected to review air traffic control logs, radar data, and recorded communications as part of a comprehensive inquiry.
In addition to his practice, Williams is the Past Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Aviation Litigation Section, and he is a member of the Aviation and Space Law Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Mr. Williams is also a member and past president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.
For more information, call (615) 444-2900 or visit www.keithwilliamslawgroup.com.
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About Keith Williams Law Group
With two convenient locations, one in downtown Nashville and the other on the historic town square in Lebanon, Keith Williams Law Group can help its clients achieve the maximum possible compensation for their injuries. Its attorneys represent those who have been injured as a result of car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, aviation accidents, highway work zone accidents, defective products, and trucker broker negligence. For more information, call (615) 444-2900 or visit www.keithwilliamslawgroup.com.
