NTSB: LaGuardia firetruck crew didn't know who ordered them to stop

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A crew member on a firetruck heard an air traffic controller's command to stop moments before the vehicle was struck by an Air Canada plane at New York's LaGuardia Airport, but did not understand who was being addressed, according to preliminary findings released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The collision occurred after an air traffic controller cleared the plane to land and then granted permission for the firetruck to cross the same runway. Less than a minute later, the control tower ordered the truck to stop, but it continued across the tarmac. The firetruck crew member said she turned left and saw the plane's lights as it barreled toward them at 104 mph.

The pilot and copilot of the Air Canada flight were killed in the impact, with their seats separating from the aircraft. A front flight attendant's seat also broke away but she survived. The rear flight attendant was unaware of the collision and attempted to call the pilots in the moments afterward. All 19 passengers survived, though six sustained serious injuries, and firetruck crew members were also hurt.

The NTSB investigation revealed that LaGuardia had a radar and satellite-based surveillance system to track ground movements, but firetrucks at the airport lacked transponders to share their location data with air traffic control. Two controllers were on duty at the time of the incident, which the NTSB said was consistent with staffing levels during the late-night timeframe when the collision occurred.

The crash highlights ongoing concerns about outdated air traffic control technology, with the Federal Aviation Administration working to modernize systems nationwide. The NTSB expects to release its full investigative report in approximately one year.