LaGuardia Runway Collision Comes As Officials ID CA Airports At Risk For Similar Crashes

Following a deadly runway collision that killed two Air Canada pilots at LaGuardia Airport Sunday night, California airport officials sought to emphasize federal safety systems already in place at local airports.

Federal authorities are still examining how a jet operated on behalf of Air Canada struck a fire truck, killing the pilot and co-pilot and injuring at least 41 others. It appears there have been no major changes at California's airports following the crash, but officials at several California airports told Patch they are monitoring the investigation.

The crash comes after the FAA earlier this month updated its list of airport "hot spots" — areas known for having a risk of collisions or runway confusion. In California, locations at 34 airports were on that list.

The "hot spots" concern numerous safety issues, including areas where vehicles are in the same areas as moving airplanes.

The list is routinely updated by the FAA and is among the information released by the agency meant to guide planning and decision-making at the nation's airports.

At LaGuardia, there is a “tremendous amount of debris” that investigators have to sift through, National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said at a Monday evening news conference.

Authorities recovered the plane's cockpit and flight data recorders and drove them to the agency's lab in Washington for analysis, she said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he "can't give specifics on what went wrong," deferring to the NTSB.

The San Jose International Airport had made "no changes to operations" as of Monday morning, "We continue to work closely with the FAA and our partners to ensure the highest levels of safety," a spokesperson told Patch.

Officials at San Francisco International Airport are "closely following" the investigation, according to a spokesman.

"The investigation is just starting, so we need to let that process run its course before we can review the NTSB findings and recommendations," the spokesperson said.

A John Wayne Airport spokesperson said it continues to operate in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration.

"Safety remains our top priority. The airport adheres to all federal regulations and maintains established procedures to ensure the safe operation of aircraft. We will continue to monitor any guidance from the FAA and implement changes if necessary," the spokesperson said.

SEE ALSO:

• Plane Was Racing About 100 MPH Down Runway Before Deadly Collision With Fire Truck At LaGuardia: Expert
• Plane, Helicopter Nearly Collide Over CA 2 Months After Warning About Mid-Air Crashes
• SoCal Airport At Risk Of Deadly Mid-Air Crash, Federal Investigator Says

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.