An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The aircraft, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, struck the vehicle on the runway despite urgent warnings from air traffic control just before landing. The cockpit was destroyed in the accident, killing both pilots. The passengers were injured in the accident, and many were later discharged from the hospital. Two personnel from the rescue vehicle were also injured and taken to the hospital. The National Transportation Safety Board has initiated an investigation into the accident.

Who was Antoine Forest?

Antoine Forest was a first officer at Air Canada Express, and he had established his aviation career from a tender age. He was born and raised in Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, and he began training to fly bush planes at the age of 16, according to his family. He later gained experience flying for other regional airlines, including Air Saguenay and ExactAir, before joining Jazz Aviation in 2022. He was based in Montreal, and he was a member of the cockpit crew flying regional planes, considered a young professional at the early stage of his career.

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Who was MacKenzie Gunther?

MacKenzie Gunther was also a first officer on the ill-fated plane, and he had experience flying regional planes, although more details about his early life and training are still being confirmed. He was a member of the crew flying the CRJ-900 plane on a route from Montreal to New York, and officials have confirmed that the two pilots were young and at an early stage of their careers, a tragic loss to the aviation industry.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford described the two pilots as “young men at the start of their careers.”

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Jazz Aviation President Doug Clarke paid tribute to the pilots in a statement, saying, “Today is an incredibly difficult day for our airline, our employees, and most importantly, the families and loved ones of those affected by the accident involving flight 8646.”

He also extended his support and condolences to the family of Antoine Forest and the other pilot, whose identification was still being confirmed at the time.