LaGuardia plane crash: Runway reopens after mangled aircraft, truck removed

The NTSB laid out a timeline of the final moments after reviewing the Air Canada jet's cockpit voice recorder, which authorities recovered by cutting a hole in the aircraft's roof.

Investigators said that 25 seconds before the crash, the fire truck asked to cross the same runway where the plane had already been cleared to land nearly two minutes earlier.

One controller cleared the truck to cross the runway five seconds later, when the plane was a little more than 100 feet (30 meters) from the ground, the NTSB found.

Then, just nine seconds before the two collided, the tower told the fire truck to stop - a second before the plane's landing gear touched down, the NTSB said.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said that it appears that the airport's runway status lights were working, which might have warned the fire truck driver not to cross the runway even if the controller approved it.

The lights embedded in the pavement are designed to automatically turn red when a runway is occupied to signal to vehicle operators and pilots not enter that runway.

The controller could also see the vehicles and the plane out the tower window, said John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems. But there simply may not have been enough time to prevent the crash once the fire truck pulled onto the runway.

The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate Sunday's fatal collision at LaGuardia Airport.

The NTSB noted Tuesday that none of the vehicles rushing to the tarmac had tracking systems installed, including the Port Authority fire truck struck by the landing Air Canada flight.

The black boxes from the plane are still being inspected.

Phil Taitt has more on what we know at this time:

Phil Taitt reports from LaGuardia Airport.

Of the 76 passengers and crew on the Air Canada flight, 39 were immediately sent to hospitals in the area with varying degrees of injuries.

Air Canada said Tuesday afternoon that 35 passenger did not require immediate medical attention at the time and were able to depart for their final destination.

The airline said six people remain in the hospital.

As the investigation continues into the deadly runway crash at LaGuardia Airport, condolences are pouring in for the pilots who lost their lives.

They are now identified as 30-year-old Capt. Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther -- both from Canada.

Chantee Lans has the latest on the victims involved in the LaGuardia crash.

Forest's brother wrote, "You've again left in a whirlwind too soon to say goodbye. I love you, brother you can leave with your head held high."

Meanwhile, Gunther's alma mater Seneca Polytechnic College in Canada is offering counseling services, saying he graduated with honors from their aviation program in 2023.

The school says he will be deeply missed and "to honor the memory of Mr. Gunther, flags at Seneca's campuses will be lowered to half-mast."

Rebecca Liquori, from Baldwin, was on the flight and said she is forever grateful to the young pilots.

"They hit the brakes to slow the impact," she said. "I'm forever indebted to the pilots."

Meanwhile back in Queens at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Port Authority Police Sgt. Michael Orsillo is the second and final PAPD worker scheduled to be released from the hospital after their fire truck was slammed by the plane.

PAPD Officer Adrian Baez was released from the hospital on Monday night.