Fire truck in LaGuardia plane crash lacked equipment to trigger alarm system

( Post Millennial )

The runway warning system failed to sound an alarm just before a plane crashed into a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday. The crash took the lives of the two pilots and injured dozens of others.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said that the system did not sound the alarm because the truck did not have a transponder, per the AP. Homendy said that even though the NTSB does not require vehicles on the ground at airports to have transponders, it is recommended they have them.  

“Air traffic controllers should know what’s before them, whether it’s on airport surface or in the airspace. They should have that information to ensure safety,” Homendy said. The plane was carrying more than 70 people at the time of the crash. The nose of the plane was smashed and the truck was strewn to the side of the runway in the aftermath of the crash. 

The crash resulted in the death of the pilot as well as co-pilot and dozens were injured. One flight attendant was ejected from the plane in her jump seat but miraculously survived the ordeal. The pilots were identified as Antoine Forest, 30, as well as Mackenzie Gunther. 

Homendy also said, “It is not clear who was conducting the duties of the ground controller" and there was "conflicting information" on the ground. Investigators do not know if the fire truck heard the frantic call from the air traffic controller tower, yelling at the truck to stop right before the crash took place. Homendy added that the firefighters, some of whom were injured in the crash, have not been interviewed yet to see if they tried to brake or turn right before the crash.