‘Glitch’: Air traffic controller’s audio captures moments before LaGuardia crash
Moments before an Air Canada passenger plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday, an air traffic controller admitted in heartbreaking audio that he “messed up.”“The truck was cleared to cross the airport’s Runway 4 before air traffic controllers requested the Miami-bound Frontier aircraft and vehicle to stop.“Wait, wait, wait, wait,” the controller demanded frantically. “Truck 1, stop, stop, stop. Stop Truck 1. Stop.”The controller ordered Delta Flight 2603, arriving from Detroit, to turn around before turning back toward the Air Canada plane, a flight operated by Jazz Aviation that had landed in Montreal, the New York Post reported.“Jazz 646, I see you have collided with a vehicle. Just hold your position. I know you can’t move. The vehicles are now responding to you,” the air traffic controller said.Air traffic controllers told the Frontier crew that the runway would be closed, and asked if they would like to return to the ramp.Frontier pilots said, “We got stuff for a guy who didn’t look good.”“Yes, I tried to reach them… and we were dealing with an emergency and I messed up,” the controller replied.“No, you did your best,” the Frontier crew said, trying to reassure the air traffic controller.The jet’s pilot and co-pilot were killed, sources told The Post, and photos showed the CRJ-900 aircraft tilting in the air.The plane, which was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, was traveling about 24 mph when it collided with the truck, which was responding to an emergency involving another aircraft.Eleven passengers and two first responders aboard the Air Canada plane were hospitalized, officials told ABC News.According to CBS News, moments before the crash, United 2384 pilots aborted takeoff because an anti-ice warning light appeared on the dash. Pilots reported a foul smell in the cabin which caused flight attendants to feel sick.
