Two air controllers were on duty in fatal LaGuardia plane crash, NTSB says

QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) — Two air traffic controllers were in the LaGuardia Airport tower at the time of the crash that killed two pilots and hurt several others, according to preliminary information from federal investigators. The crash occurred on Sunday night when a Canadair aircraft collided with an airport fire truck that had entered the runway, investigators said. The impact killed both pilots and left multiple people injured. NTSB officials said the tower cab was staffed by the local controller and the controller‑in‑charge at the time of the collision. The local controller had transferred duties to the controller in charge shortly before the crash. Officials said there are conflicting entries in the shift logs, and it is not yet known whether anyone was scheduled to relieve the controller‑in‑charge. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said air traffic controller staffing concerns have been raised “for quite a long time,” especially during periods of heavy workload, but she emphasized that having two controllers on duty during the midnight shift is standard procedure for New York airports. Homendy also said the airport’s ASDE‑X ground surveillance system did not generate an alert “due to the close proximity of vehicles merging and unmerging near the runway resulting in an inability to create a track of high confidence.” The technology is used at 35 major U.S. airports to help controllers maintain situational awareness. Investigators plan to interview the controllers on Tuesday. Officials did not release any additional information about the identities of the controllers or the victims. A transcript of the plane’s cockpit recording will be released on Wednesday, according to the NTSB.