Tragic Loss: Antoine Forest, 30, Identified as One of Two Young Pilots Killed in Air Canada-LaGuardia Runway Collision

New York / Montreal, March 24, 2026 — The aviation world is mourning the loss of Antoine Forest, a passionate 30-year-old first officer from Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, who was killed when an Air Canada Express regional jet slammed into a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night.

Forest, who had been flying with Jazz Aviation (operating as Air Canada Express) since December 2022, was described by family as a dedicated aviator who never stopped chasing his dream. He learned English specifically to improve his career prospects in aviation and took his first solo flight at just 16 years old.

people.com

One of 2 Young Pilots Killed in LaGuardia Crash Identified

Antoine Forest smiling in the cockpit — the 30-year-old Quebec pilot who lived for flying since he was 16.

“He flew his first plane when he was 16 years old,” his grieving great-aunt Jeannette Gagnier told the Toronto Star on Monday. “He was always taking courses and flying. He never stopped.”

Forest’s family painted a picture of a determined young man who poured everything into his passion. Born and raised in Quebec, he pursued every opportunity to build hours and skills, turning a childhood love of flying into a professional career.

The second pilot killed in the crash has not yet been publicly identified. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expressed the industry’s sorrow at a press conference, saying: “These were two young men at the start of their careers, so it’s an absolute tragedy that we’re sitting here with their loss.”

people.com

Video Surfaces of Deadly LaGuardia Crash

The badly damaged Air Canada Express CRJ-900 rests on the LaGuardia runway after the violent collision with the fire truck.

aljazeera.com

Air Canada crash at LaGuardia Airport: What happened, who were the victims? | Aviation News | Al Jazeera

The destroyed Port Authority fire truck lies amid debris on the wet tarmac following the fatal impact.

The crash occurred around 11:40 p.m. when Air Canada Express Flight 8646, arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew, struck the emergency vehicle responding to a separate odor complaint on another aircraft. Both pilots died on impact. Dozens of passengers were injured and taken to hospital.

latimes.com

Jet collides with fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. 2 pilots killed – Los Angeles Times

Nighttime view of the wreckage under floodlights, showing the extent of damage to the Air Canada jet.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy confirmed that both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered by drilling a hole in the roof of the aircraft. The black boxes are now at NTSB headquarters in Washington for analysis, with more information expected Tuesday.

Homendy described the scene as chaotic with significant debris, warning that the full investigation will take time. A partial government shutdown also delayed the response, with one NTSB specialist stuck for hours in a TSA line trying to reach New York.

khou.com

LaGuardia crash: NTSB said travel troubles across the country slowed the investigation

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy speaking to the media about the LaGuardia crash investigation.

npr.org

Pilot and copilot killed in collision between jet and fire truck at LaGuardia : NPR

Emergency vehicles and personnel surround the crash site on the rain-slicked LaGuardia runway.

LaGuardia Airport experienced major disruptions, with hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled. The runway has since reopened, but questions remain about runway safety protocols and coordination between air traffic control and emergency services.

scientificamerican.com

Why the LaGuardia plane crash was so destructive | Scientific American

A wider view of the crash scene showing the scale of the response at one of New York’s busiest airports.

Tributes continue to pour in for Antoine Forest and the second pilot, both described as young men with bright futures ahead. Colleagues and friends remember Forest as humble, enthusiastic, and fully committed to his craft.

This marks the first fatal accident at LaGuardia in decades, sending shockwaves through the Canadian and U.S. aviation communities. As the NTSB prepares to release early findings from the black boxes, families, passengers, and the industry await answers about what went wrong on that rainy New York runway.