The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated termination proceedings against two air traffic controllers at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). According to findings, the controllers left work approximately one hour early on the night of a deadly runway collision that resulted in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to dozens more.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the controllers departed prior to the end of their scheduled shifts on March 22, 2026. At the time, airport operations were disrupted by thunderstorms and delays, forcing controllers to manage more than double the volume of traffic that had originally been scheduled. Consequently, the two controllers remaining in the tower were left working without additional backup support during a period of unusually heavy traffic.
The fatal collision occurred at 23:37 local time. Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a CRJ900 operated by Jazz Aviation, was landing on Runway 4 following a flight from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) when it collided with an airport fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway. The fire truck was responding to a separate aircraft emergency. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the captain and first officer of the CRJ900 were killed, while 39 people were transported to hospitals, including six who suffered serious injuries.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed strong disapproval regarding the issue, stating that the government will not tolerate fraud and will take action against employees who take advantage of taxpayers and increase the workload on their colleagues. Leaving before a shift ends is known among controllers as an "early shove," which FAA officials consider a form of timecard fraud. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) noted it is discussing allegations of widespread timecard and leave fraud with FAA leadership, while also pointing to the challenging staffing conditions under which controllers routinely operate.
