Air Canada jet hits ground vehicle, shuts down LaGuardia
An Air Canada Express regional jet, upon landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, collided with a ground vehicle, prompting an emergency ground stop and causing significant flight delays. Authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the sequence of events that led to the mishap.
In a dramatic turn of events, a flight attendant from the Air Canada flight involved in last week’s catastrophic runway collision at LaGuardia has been seen for the first time in the hospital. Her daughter has shared details of her severe injuries and the challenging road to recovery that lies ahead.
Solange Tremblay, an experienced crew member aboard Jazz Aviation Flight 8646, which was operated by Air Canada Express, miraculously survived the March 22 crash. After the accident, she was discovered on the tarmac, still secured in her jump seat, according to her daughter, Sarah Lepine.
Lepine has launched a GoFundMe campaign, sharing a heartfelt update and a photograph of her mother in the hospital to garner support.
“My mom was conscious through the entire ordeal and has sustained severe injuries as a result,” the fundraiser states. “She is currently in New York, bravely fighting and gradually recovering in the hospital.”
The collision site, where the Air Canada jet came to a halt after crashing into a Port Authority firetruck shortly after landing, is under close examination by officials. The incident has drawn significant attention, as images of the crash scene and the resilient flight attendant, Solange Tremblay, circulate widely. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig; Facebook/Solange Tremblay)
“My mother’s injuries include two shattered legs (open fractures) requiring multiple surgeries where metal plates are needed to repair the damage done to her legs,” the statement continues. “She sustained a fractured spine where she continues to wait and see if surgery is required.”
Lepine added there are more surgeries ahead for her mother, seeking donations to help. The GoFundMe had over $133,000 raised from more than 2,200 donations as of Sunday afternoon.
An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 sits on the runway after colliding with a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on March 23, 2026 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“At the moment our greatest fear is the risk of infection which could lead to other horrifying complications if her injuries become infected,” Lepine added. “Right now, my mom needs your help. She is in New York for the foreseeable future for her recovery where she remains in constant fear of sustaining further damages than she has already suffered.”
The crash killed both pilots when the regional jet collided with a fire truck while landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia. The National Transportation Safety Board said the March 22 accident remains under investigation, while The Associated Press reported that dozens of passengers and emergency personnel were injured.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti called Tremblay’s survival a miracle when “compared to the destruction of the nose of the airplane.”
“The flight attendant’s seat is kind of a jump seat that folds down and is bolted to the wall, the same wall that the cockpit utilizes,” said Guzzetti, a former federal crash investigator.
“It’s a very robust seat,” he added. “It’s designed to withstand probably more crash loads than passenger seats because you need the flight attendant to help passengers get out of an airplane after a crash.”
