The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that a key safety alert system failed to activate before the fatal collision between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday. The runway warning system, ASDE-X, did not function properly because the fire truck lacked a transponder, which is required for the system to operate. The crash killed both pilots and injured dozens of passengers and crew members.
The runway where the collision occurred reopened on Thursday after repairs and inspections confirmed it met Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety standards. However, LaGuardia continues to experience significant delays and cancellations, with over 300 flights canceled in the last 24 hours, according to Flight Aware.
Survivors of the crash may be eligible for compensation under the 1999 Montreal Convention, which holds airlines liable for death or bodily injury. Aviation law experts suggest that injured passengers could each receive up to nearly $300,000 in compensation. They have two years to file lawsuits under the convention. Additionally, survivors may also sue the American aviation authority and the local port authority.
As of Wednesday, four passengers and crew members remain hospitalized, though the airline did not specify the nature or extent of their injuries. The wreckage of the Air Canada plane, which is missing its entire cockpit, has been towed to a hangar for further examination. Air Canada is working to return passengers' belongings, though the process is expected to take time.
The NTSB is investigating multiple factors that may have contributed to the crash, including the actions of the air traffic controllers and the functionality of the safety systems. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected as the examination of the wreckage continues.