Listen to air traffic control audio from fatal LaGuardia crash
Passenger describes LaGuardia airport plane crash
A passenger who was onboard during the plane crash at LaGuardia airport says that a lot of people got hurt, several banging their heads.
QUEENS - Newly released air traffic control audio is shedding more light on the moments after the fatal crash at LaGuardia Airport, including a controller saying, "I messed up," as crews scrambled to respond.
New Audio:
The exchange, captured on Lice Air Traffic Control (LiveATC), reveals the immediate aftermath of the collision and the emotional toll on those working in the tower.
"Frontier 4195, uh I got the word that we’re gonna be closed for a little while, uh if you want to prepare to return to the ramp let me know," a ground controller said.
"Yeah we got stuff in progress uh for that man. That was, that wasn’t good to watch," the Frontier pilot responded.
Moments later, the controller can be heard.
"Yeah I know I was here. I tried to reach out to em. I stopped and we were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up."
The pilot responded: "No man, you did the best you could."
The audio adds to previously released control tower recordings capturing urgent warnings and confusion leading up to the crash, which killed two pilots and injured more than 40 people.
Federal investigators are continuing to review all communications as part of the ongoing investigation. Officials caution that the information remains preliminary and subject to change.
The backstory:
Passenger details moments of LGA plane crash
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: An Air Canada Express plane sits on the tarmac after it collided with a fire truck on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026 in New York City. Two people are believed to have been killed in the late-night acc
The crash happened just before midnight Sunday when Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with an emergency vehicle on the runway after arriving from Montreal.
Authorities say the airport remains closed as federal investigators work to determine what went wrong.
Jack Cabot, a passenger on board, described the final moments before impact, saying the flight initially felt routine.
‘He hit the brakes as hard as he could, and he knew he was going to be at the cost of his own life’
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Emergency workers gather at the scene after an Air Canada Express plane sits on the tarmac after it collided with a fire truck on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026, in New York City. Two people are belie
"Coming in pretty fast. It was. It was like a regular flight like always," the passenger said. "But as we were arriving we came down really hard and then and like we we stopped really quickly."
Seconds later, the situation turned violent.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Emergency workers gather at the scene after an Air Canada Express plane sits on the tarmac after it collided with a fire truck on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026, in New York City. Two people are belie
"And then about 2 seconds later we just had an absolute like slam," the passenger said. "Everybody was flying everywhere. I mean like the plane started veering off left and right."
The passenger described widespread panic inside the cabin.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Travellers look for rides after LaGuardia Airport was closed following a collision between an Air Canada Express plane and a fire truck on the tarmac on March 23, 2026 in New York City. The plane had landed from a fligh
"There was, I mean just it was chaos. I mean, it didn't feel like there was anybody in control of anything," the passenger said.
Despite the chaos, the passenger credited the pilot’s actions in the final moments.
"But looking back on it, the pilot did the best thing he could," the passenger added. "He hit the brakes as hard as he could, and he knew he was going to be at the cost of his own life."
Air control audio moments before crash
Air traffic control audio captures the confusion in the moments before and after the collision.
"There’s a vehicle near the cross runway," one voice says.
"Truck one and company requesting to cross, four and delta."
Moments later, urgent warnings can be heard:
"41-95, stop there please."
"Stop, stop stop."
"Stop truck one, stop. Stop truck one, stop."
Controllers then issued commands to aircraft in the air.
"Go around, runway heading, 2000."
"646, vehicle in position, can’t move."
In the aftermath, officials moved quickly to shut down operations.
"LaGuardia Airport is closed at this time. No aircraft in or out," a voice says in the recording.
According to officials, 41 passengers, crew members and Port Authority police officers were taken to hospitals. Most have been released, while several remain in serious condition. The PAPD officers inside the emergency vehicle are in stable condition.
What's next:
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Officials caution that the information remains preliminary and subject to change.
The Source: This report is based on information from a passenger on the Air Canada flight and audio obtained by the Associated Press.