FAA weighs discipline after LaGuardia controllers left early
The Federal Aviation Administration is pursuing possible disciplinary action, potentially including firing, against two LaGuardia air traffic controllers who reportedly left the tower about an hour before their shifts ended on March 22, 2026, the night an Air Canada Express jet collided with an airport fire truck.
The personnel development was reported Friday, August 28, by The Associated Press, which cited a government official familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly. CNN separately reported that the two controllers were on leave and could face discipline.
The reported departures add a staffing and supervision question to an investigation whose official cause remains unresolved. The National Transportation Safety Board has not determined whether the controllers’ departure, staffing levels or any individual action caused or contributed to the collision.
What reportedly happened
According to the official cited by AP, the two controllers left LaGuardia about an hour before the scheduled end of their shifts. Their departure left two controllers handling a busy late-night operation that included multiple flights and an emergency response elsewhere on the airport grounds.
The controllers who left were scheduled to remain on duty past the time of the crash, the official said. The account remains an allegation, and the FAA has not announced a final termination, suspension or other disciplinary ruling.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said it was “actively discussing these allegations with FAA leadership,” according to AP.
What happened in the crash
At 11:37 p.m. Eastern time on March 22, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with an aircraft-rescue firefighting vehicle while landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The NTSB says the plane’s captain and first officer were fatally injured.
The NTSB records 39 people transported to local hospitals, including six reported serious injuries. The agency lists the investigation as ongoing, and its preliminary information is subject to change.
What investigators know so far
The NTSB’s preliminary account says the fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway. Investigators also documented a delayed stop warning, no reliable transponder signal from the vehicle and no automated conflict alert from the airport surface-monitoring system.
The fire truck was part of a convoy responding to an earlier airport emergency involving a strong odor that had made flight attendants feel ill aboard a departing United Airlines flight, according to AP. The preliminary record describes the operational sequence but does not assign final responsibility or establish probable cause.
The FAA said it is “committed to holding employees accountable” and would not compromise the safety or efficiency of the national airspace system. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy characterized early departures as “timecard fraud,” but that is his description, not a final finding by the NTSB or a completed FAA disciplinary decision.
What remains unknown
The available records do not establish that the controllers’ reported early departure caused or contributed to the crash. The NTSB has said the investigation will examine the operation, including staffing protocols and whether controllers were overloaded while working multiple positions.
The FAA review could lead to formal discipline, but no final punishment has been announced. The NTSB is continuing to examine controller staffing, shift coverage, communications, runway procedures and airport warning systems before issuing a final report.
For travelers and the broader aviation system, the case raises questions about scheduling practices, supervision and accountability at FAA facilities nationwide. The next key developments are any formal FAA personnel action, additional NTSB findings and the board’s final accident report.
Sources
- Associated Press — 2 NYC air traffic controllers left work early before crash, AP source says
- NTSB — Jazz Aviation, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collision with fire truck
- NTSB preliminary report — Investigation DCA26MA161
- CNN — LaGuardia controllers and FAA disciplinary review
Look for updates to this story
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