Pilots Identified in Fatal LaGuardia Runway Collision

As of Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the two pilots killed in the tragic runway collision at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night have been identified. Both were Canadian aviators flying for Jazz Aviation, which operates regional flights under the Air Canada Express banner.

The victims of the crash involving Flight 8646 from Montreal have been named as:

• Antoine Forest: A 30-year-old pilot from Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec. Forest had been with Jazz Aviation since 2022 and was described by former colleagues as a “super careful” and dedicated professional.
• Mackenzie Gunther: The flight’s First Officer and a 2023 graduate of Toronto’s Seneca Polytechnic. Gunther joined the airline immediately after graduation through a specialized career pathway program.

The Heroism in the Cockpit

Survivors and aviation experts have praised the quick thinking of Forest and Gunther in the final seconds before impact.

• Emergency Braking: Passengers reported feeling the pilots “slam on the brakes” with incredible force just as the plane touched down on Runway 4. One passenger, Jack Cabot, told reporters, “He hit the brakes as hard as he could… he knew it was going to be at the cost of his own life.”
• Saving Lives: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators are looking into how the pilots’ split-second decision to decelerate likely prevented the aircraft from cartwheeling or catching fire, which saved the lives of the 72 passengers on board.

Investigation Focus: “I Messed Up”

The NTSB and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) are currently analyzing the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder recovered on Monday.

1. Air Traffic Control Error: Chilling audio from the control tower has surfaced, showing a controller clearing a Port Authority fire truck to cross the runway while the Air Canada jet was on its final approach.
2. The Final Commands: The controller can be heard desperately shouting, “Stop, stop, stop, truck one, stop!” just before the collision. The same voice later told colleagues, “I tried to reach out to them, I stopped them… I messed up.”
3. The Secondary Emergency: The fire truck was reportedly responding to a separate “odor” incident on a United Airlines flight when it was directed onto the path of the incoming Jazz Aviation jet.

Current Status of the Airport

The tragedy has added further strain to a U.S. aviation system already struggling with the 39-day DHS/TSA shutdown, which has led to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers and security personnel nationwide.