Deadly LaGuardia runway crash raises concerns over aviation safety, controller shortage

2 pilots dead in LaGuardia airport crash

A deadly crash broke out between an Air Canada Express plane and a fire truck at New York City's LaGuardia airport.

The deadly collision at LaGuardia Airport runway is reigniting conversations about aviation safety and the nation's air traffic controller shortage.

The NTSB says it's still in the very early stages of the investigation into the crash at LaGuardia Airport.

But recent collisions and near collisions have travelers wondering what can be done to improve aviation safety.

Reaction is rippling across airports nationwide, including Los Angeles, after two pilots were killed when their passenger plane collided with an emergency vehicle at LaGuardia Airport Sunday.

"It's horrible, and my heart goes out to all the people who were injured or affected by it," one traveler at LAX told FOX 11.

In released audio, you can hear an air traffic control operator say, "I messed up," after the LaGuardia crash.

"It's been an ongoing issue for years that we don't have enough air traffic controllers," said Julian Kheel, aviation expert and founder of Points Path.

He says because of the nationwide shortage, some air traffic control operators are feeling the weight of carrying a heavier workload.

"Because of a lack of staffing and simply more planes in the air, there's a smaller margin of error, and what we saw at LaGuardia Airport last night was the loss of that margin of error, sadly."

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy reminded the public during a Monday press conference that the agency hasn't even had a full day of investigation into the crash and that there is still a lot of work to do before they can get to the bottom of what happened at LaGuardia.

"I think that's important because there are a lot of questions. I understand there are a lot of questions," she said Monday.

Homendy also recently flagged Hollywood Burbank Airport as a high-risk area, noting that commercial pilots have warned of potential midair collisions.

The FAA recently implemented new rules to bolster air traffic safety. Controllers are now required to use radar to ensure helicopters and airplanes maintain a proper distance.

"The FAA says it's more safe that way; however, it does mean even more work on these air traffic controllers," said Kheel.

He also says it's important to remember that air travel, especially in the U.S., remains the safest form of transportation.

"Millions of passengers fly every year without incident, and while there are occasional accidents like this, they are few and far between," said Kheel.

The FAA has recently said it has taken steps to improve safety at both Van Nuys and Burbank.

The FAA issued a statement, saying, "In February 2025, we began using innovative AI tools to identify similar hotspots with high volumes of mixed helicopter and airplane traffic and implement appropriate mitigations. One of our primary focus areas was Van Nuys Airport and nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area. Based on our safety analysis, the FAA lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet during an evaluation in 2025 to see if that would reduce conflicts with aircraft landing at Burbank. Preliminary data indicated the change resulted in a reduction of Traffic Collision Avoidance System alerts for Burbank arrivals, and we permanently lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern effective Jan. 5, 2026."

The Hollywood Burbank Airport released this statement in January, "The safety of our guests, staff, tenants, and all stakeholders while they are at Hollywood Burbank Airport is our top priority. Once our passengers are in planes that are taxiing and in flight (arriving or departing), safety is the top priority for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Safety issues related to passengers, crews, and aircraft while they occupy airspace are under the jurisdiction of the FAA.

As the FAA has stated in response to yesterday’s NTSB comment about 'safety hotspots,' work to help alleviate the risks at Hollywood Burbank Airport and Van Nuys Airport has been underway since immediately after the midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport in January 2025."

This story was reported from Los Angeles.