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:

The NTSB confirmed two air traffic controllers (ATCs) were on duty during LaGuardia's fatal collision, a standard number, but questions remain about specific roles and the potential for midnight shift fatigue.
The airport's ASDX runway safety system failed to alert due to tracking issues, and the firefighting truck involved in the collision did not have a transponder.
NTSB cautioned against blaming individual controller "distractions," emphasizing that complex air transportation accidents typically result from multiple systemic failures.

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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.