“Pilot safety concerns about New York’s LaGuardia airport were filed to aviation officials months before Sunday’s collision between an airplane and a fire truck left two pilots dead and 41 other people hospitalized.”

“According to the aviation safety reporting system administered by the US space agency Nasa, a pilot using the airport in the summer wrote, 'Please do something,' after air traffic controllers failed to provide appropriate guidance about multiple nearby aircraft.”

“The pace of operations is building in LGA, referring to the New York City airport, one of the busiest in the US. 'The controllers are pushing the line.'”

“In a reference to the January 2025 mid-air collision over the Potomac River in Washington DC that killed more than 60 people, they said: 'On thunderstorm days, LGA is starting to feel like [Ronald Reagan National airport] did before the accident there.'”

“The warning, first reported by CNN, showed that the pilot of the aircraft was concerned that LaGuardia’s control tower initiated a takeoff clearance for an aircraft when their plane was 'only 300 feet high on final' approach on a different runway – and the departing plane had hesitated initiating its takeoff run.”

“The pilot mentioned how thick, smoky haze from wildfires in Canada at the time as well as a possible helicopter in the area had convinced him it was 'safer to continue the approach and land [about] 10 seconds after the departing aircraft crossed our path'.”

“The pilot concluded: 'the [air traffic control] guidance … does not seem to give guidance on exactly how close aircraft in this situation can get.'”

“They also said that a runway lighting system had been turned off.”

“In another report since January 2025, a pilot said their aircraft had been cleared to cross a runway – but crossing 'we noticed an aircraft we thought was landing at [runway] 31C seemingly headed for us.'”

“Air traffic control 'should have sent the aircraft around', they said.”

“Homendy also said that an NTSB investigator sent to LaGuardia on Monday was delayed for three hours by security lines in Houston.”

“Nasa’s Aviation Safety Reporting System has received dozens of anonymous pilot complaints about safety concerns at the smallest of New York’s three local airports.”

“Federal investigators said late on Monday it was too soon to answer many questions about Sunday’s deadly accident but promised more information would be released Tuesday.”

“Sunday’s incident was not the only collision at LaGuardia in recent months. In October, two Delta jets collided on a taxiway, sending one person to a hospital.”

“In July 2024, a co-pilot reported a similar near-collision after controllers said a plane was cleared to cross the runway even though another aircraft was landing at the same time.”

“The crash has raised fears that operations at US airports are under extreme stress. Airports have been dealing with a shortage of air traffic controllers, exacerbated by brutal federal government personnel cuts by Donald Trump’s administration at the start of his second presidency.”

“The Trump administration has sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to many US airports, claiming they are there to help with long pre-security lines.”

“She said the runway where the crash happened was likely to be closed for days as investigators sift through a 'tremendous amount of debris'.”

“Sean Duffy, the US transportation secretary, on Monday declined to say how many controllers were on duty at LaGuardia when Sunday’s crash happened, deferring instead to the ongoing NTSB investigation.”

“Jennifer Homendy, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair whose agency is investigating Sunday’s crash, said investigators would analyze the involved airplane’s cockpit and flight data recorders, which were recovered from the wreck undamaged.”

“Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have called in sick or quit their jobs rather than be forced to work without pay amid the shutdown.”

“Airports have also grappled with ageing equipment and a shortage of security screeners owing to a partial government shutdown since mid-February, which has caused long security lines and frustration among travelers. More than 450 TSA officers have quit during the partial government shutdown, Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.”