Two LaGuardia Airport air traffic controllers in the control tower left work early the night an Air Canada Express flight collided with an airport fire truck on the runway, according to a source familiar with the investigation into the March 22 crash.
The two pilots of Air Canada Express Flight 8646 were killed when the jet collided with an airport fire truck just after landing. The fire truck had been crossing the taxiway to respond to an incident across the airport. The plane had 72 passengers and four crew members on board for the one-hour flight from Montreal to New York’s LaGuardia, dozens of whom were injured.
The Federal Aviation Administration is now considering disciplinary action against the controllers, the source said, adding that their departure was not by “just a few minutes.” Both FAA controllers are currently on leave, according to the source, and are not currently responsible for controlling air traffic.
The new details were first reported by the Wall Street Journal as the National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the crash. The agency’s final report —and a finding of probable cause and contributing factors — is not likely to be published for another six months.
