NTSB Says LaGuardia Tower Staffing Normal, But Concerns Remain

Investigators are still working to answer critical questions about air traffic control roles on the night an Air Canada flight hit a fire truck.

Zach Vasile

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 05:05 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

NTSB logo and image [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Two air traffic controllers were in the tower during LaGuardia's fatal collision, a standard staffing level, but NTSB noted conflicting information on who was performing ground controller duties.
Key safety systems failed, as the ASDX runway safety system did not alert due to vehicle proximity, and the involved firefighting truck lacked a transponder.
While not yet confirmed as a factor, the NTSB has previously raised concerns about fatigue on midnight shifts, and emphasized that complex air accidents typically stem from multiple failures, not a single mistake.

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There were two air traffic controllers (ATCs) in the tower overseeing LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) at the time of Sunday night’s fatal collision, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday, a figure that is considered standard for the midnight shift at the airport and across much of the nation’s airspace.

Still, questions remain about how many staff overall were at the ATC facility at the time of the crash and what roles the controllers in the tower were filling.