The family of an Air Canada pilot killed in a devastating runway collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport has revealed he had been flying since the age of 16, painting a poignant picture of a life dedicated to aviation. Antoine Forest, a first officer on the Air Canada Express flight that struck a Port Authority fire truck late Sunday night, was among the two pilots who lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Details of the LaGuardia Airport Collision
The fatal accident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026, when a Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation and arriving from Montreal with 76 passengers and crew, collided with an emergency vehicle on Runway 4. The fire truck had been cleared to cross the active runway while responding to a separate incident involving a United Airlines flight. In addition to the two pilot fatalities, 41 people were injured in the crash.
Investigation and Airport Disruption
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) have launched a joint investigation into the collision. While federal authorities have not yet officially released the names of the flight crew, family members have begun identifying the victims. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed that both the pilot and co-pilot were based in Canada.
The airport was forced to close for nearly 14 hours following the accident, reopening at 2 p.m. on Monday with only one of its two runways operational. This significant disruption led to the cancellation of more than 500 flights throughout the day, causing widespread travel chaos for passengers.
Remembering Antoine Forest
The family of Antoine Forest, a native of Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, confirmed to the Toronto Star on Monday that he was one of the two pilots who perished in the crash. Forest lived in the small town located approximately 25 miles southwest of Montreal. His great-aunt, Jeannette Gagnier, whom he considered a grandmother, shared heartfelt memories of his lifelong passion for flying.
"He was always taking courses and flying," Gagnier told the Star, recalling how Forest first learned to pilot bush planes as a teenager. "He never stopped." She described how he spent his youth between Quebec and Hawkesbury, Ontario, where he and his younger brother enjoyed summer activities like fishing and watching television with her. During his 11th-grade year, Forest moved in with Gagnier specifically to improve his English, believing this step was vital for his future career as a pilot.
A Career in Aviation
According to professional records and his LinkedIn profile, Forest began his aviation career flying smaller bush planes, such as the de Havilland Canada Beaver and Otter, for Air Saguenay. He later progressed to piloting twin-engine aircraft for ExactAir before joining Jazz Aviation as a first officer in December 2022. Photos on Forest's Facebook page reflect his love for the outdoors, showing him hiking snow-capped mountains and spending time on the water.
Gagnier, who received the news of the crash from her son on Monday, remembered the pilot as a "handsome young man" who would still cuddle with her at bedtime during his summer visits as a child. "It's a very bad day for me," she emotionally told the Star.
Heroic Actions in Final Moments
While investigators continue to analyze flight data and evidence from the scene, survivors and initial reports suggest the crew's actions may have prevented even greater loss of life. Accounts from the cabin indicate the pilots attempted to deploy reverse thrust in the final seconds before impact—a maneuver that many aviation experts believe helped prevent the jet from veering further off course after the nose was destroyed in the collision.
The tragic incident at LaGuardia Airport has sent shockwaves through the aviation community and raised serious questions about runway safety protocols. As the investigation progresses, authorities will be examining all factors that contributed to this devastating collision between a commercial aircraft and emergency response vehicle on an active runway.
