Jazz Aviation Flight 8646 (operating as Air Canada Express flight JZA646/QK646)
On March 22, 2026, a Jazz Aviation flight that was operated on behalf of Air Canada collided with a fire truck on a runway of the LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Tragically, the two pilots of the flight died in the accident, and many of the 72 passengers onboard were injured.
This accident has once again brought the question of aviation safety and the role of air traffic control in the United States to the forefront. The ongoing investigation should serve to answer any questions and lead to changes to avoid such accidents.
Passengers involved in such accidents need to be aware of their rights, including their right to answers and compensation for any injuries they sustain.
International Aviation Liability
Liability for international aviation accidents is governed by the Montreal Convention which establishes unique rules which determine how passengers and their families are compensated. The Montreal Convention is an international treaty that establishes an air carrier’s liability for the carriage of its passengers, their baggage, and cargo. Both the United States and Canada are signatories to the Montreal Convention.
An international air carrier is strictly liable to its passengers for accidents that occur while they are on the aircraft. Under the Montreal Convention, a passenger is entitled to up to approximately $300,000 CAD in damages without having to prove the airline was at fault. This means that it is unnecessary to show that Jazz/Air Canada acted negligently.
Further claims without a limit can be made against any party based on fault.
Passengers may be compensated for their damages, including pain and suffering, the cost of treatment associated with recovery and rehabilitation, and loss of income connected with their physical injuries.
In this case, the investigation into the LaGuardia crash continues to unfold. This investigation and any litigation will make it clear which parties were negligent.
Blaney McMurtry is a leading aviation liability law firm having been involved in many previous international aviation cases such as the Air Canada Cincinnati fire, the bombing of Air India 182 and the shoot down of Korean Air Lines 007. Most recently we acted successfully at trial and on appeal acting on behalf of a group of families of victims of the Iranian shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.
If you have any questions please contact Roderick Winsor rwinsor@blaney.com or Steven Kelly skelly@blaney.com .