Air Canada passenger seated at emergency exit says pilots’ actions saved lives
Air Canada passenger seated at emergency exit says pilots’ actions saved lives
The incident involving Air Canada Express Flight 8646 started with an unrelated issue on another aircraft. On a misty Sunday night at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, nearly midnight, a United Airlines plane still on the ground required assistance due to a strong odor causing flight attendants to feel unwell, according to audio transcripts shared with air traffic controllers. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sent a fire and rescue truck to address the problem. Meanwhile, in the sky, passenger Rebecca Liquori of North Baldwin, New York, was resting near the emergency exit row after a short weekend trip to Montreal for a family event.
Flight 8646 had been delayed by a couple of hours, leaving Liquori, a 35-year-old registered nurse, exhausted. An announcement interrupted her slumber, warning that an emergency landing might occur. “The flight attendant said, ‘If we need to make an emergency landing, don’t bring your luggage. Just exit fast,’” she recalled. The descent was marked by severe turbulence, the most intense she had ever felt. But when the plane landed, a crash followed.
“It was like a grinding sound. Then, a few seconds later, you felt the impact,” Liquori said. “The loudest boom I’ve ever heard.”
The collision occurred on LaGuardia’s Runway 4 around 11:45 p.m., as the Air Canada jet and the Port Authority fire truck met mid-air. The crash killed both pilots and injured about 40 passengers, along with two individuals in the truck, according to officials. The exact cause remains under investigation, with aviation experts considering factors like radio malfunctions, improper runway crossing, and human error.
Audio from air traffic control captures a controller instructing the truck to cross the runway before issuing the command, “Truck 1, stop.” After the impact, the controller admitted, “I messed up.” The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are examining the crash, which severed the plane’s nose, leaving debris hanging from the front.
Liquori described the chaos following the crash. Passengers were stunned, some bleeding from head injuries after colliding with seats. “When we hit the truck, everyone leaned forward,” said Jack Cabot, a 22-year-old Ithaca College student. “Immediately to my right, this guy’s blood was coming out of his nose, and he had a black eye.” Another passenger suffered a deep forehead cut, blood streaming down his glasses.
“You don’t really think in that moment,” Cabot added. “It’s such a moment of genuine shock.”
Despite the confusion, Liquori focused on helping others. “As a nurse, I know it’s best to act quickly in emergencies,” she said. She opened the emergency exit and estimated she exited the plane within three to four minutes. At a Monday afternoon press conference, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani lauded the emergency responders and passengers for their calm during the crisis.
“I want to commend those who, caught in a terrifying accident, remained composed and supported their fellow travelers,” he said. “People who opened the emergency door and assisted others, keeping the situation stable.”
Fatal air crashes at LaGuardia are uncommon, though the airport is among the busiest in the country. This collision happened exactly 34 years after a USAir flight bound for Cleveland crashed shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia in 1992, killing 27 of the 51 people on board, including the pilot.
