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Controller's Odor Call Linked to Fatal Runway Collision
24 Mar
Summary
- Two pilots died when their jet collided with a fire truck.
- An odor on a United Airlines plane may have distracted a controller.
- Thin staffing meant controllers worked multiple positions simultaneously.
An investigation is underway into a fatal runway accident at LaGuardia Airport that resulted in the deaths of two pilots. The Federal Aviation Administration is examining whether an air traffic controller's attention was diverted by a United Airlines flight reporting a foul odor. This alleged distraction occurred as the controller cleared a fire truck to cross a runway, moments before an Air Canada jet landed and crashed into the truck, killing its pilots.
At the time of the Sunday night accident, only two controllers were actively working in the LaGuardia tower. They were reportedly managing two positions each due to typical overnight low traffic and staffing levels. While two additional controllers were on duty elsewhere in the building, they were not in the control room. The National Transportation Safety Bureau noted that the controllers were on a "mid" shift, which runs from approximately 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. The exact duration of their shift before the crash remains unclear.
