In a report dated August 28, 2026 from Epoch Times (Reporter Lin Dan reporting from New York), it was detailed that in March this year, a tragic incident occurred at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) where a plane collided with a fire truck, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States found that prior to the accident, two air traffic controllers were discovered to have left their posts an hour early, potentially leading to understaffing at the control tower that night. The FAA has initiated termination procedures for these two individuals.
The accident took place on the night of March 22 at 11:37 p.m. An Air Canada Express plane that was in the process of landing collided with a fire truck that was authorized to cross the runway, resulting in the fatalities of the pilot and co-pilot, with dozens more sustaining injuries and causing the airport to be shut down for over 12 hours.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on the 27th, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary investigation revealed that at the time of the collision, one controller was simultaneously managing ground and air traffic. Normally, these two positions are handled by two individuals separately. However, at that time, the second controller was dealing with another emergency – smoke in the cockpit of an aircraft after landing.
As a result, the recent revelation of the early departure of the two controllers has drawn attention to the actual staffing situation on the night of the accident. Nonetheless, there is currently no evidence indicating that the early departure of the controllers directly caused the incident, and the NTSB is still investigating the root cause of the accident.
Having two controllers on duty during late-night hours at LaGuardia Airport is not uncommon, but the issue arose due to the unusually high volume of flights on the night of the accident. Many flights that were originally scheduled for earlier departures were delayed until late night due to rain and thunderstorms that day.
This investigation is not limited to LaGuardia Airport. The FAA is currently scrutinizing work hour records at various air traffic control facilities across the United States, with about 12 controllers facing termination for suspected violations. One scenario being investigated involves controllers leaving early without reflecting the actual time they left their post in the work hour logs. This practice, known as “shove,” is considered falsification of work hours by the FAA.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that such behavior not only harms taxpayers’ interests but may also increase the workload of other controllers and disrupt airspace operations. The government intends to hold accountable those involved.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has stated that they are in discussions with FAA management regarding the allegations.