FAA moves to fire 2 air traffic controllers who left early before LaGuardia crash

The Federal Aviation Administration is moving to fire two air traffic controllers who left their shifts early on the night of a fatal collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport in March, according to multiple reports. The agency determined the pair departed about an hour before their shift ended on March 22, 2026, leaving remaining personnel to manage the workload. The crash occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. that night as Air Canada Express Flight 8646, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, was landing. The aircraft collided with a Port Authority emergency response vehicle that was crossing the runway.