- A veteran flight attendant suffered life-altering injuries including shattered legs and a fractured spine after the crash.
- The March 24 collision killed both pilots and injured 41 people at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
- Federal investigators have recovered flight recorders as they examine the CRJ-900 wreckage and ground safety protocols.
(NEW YORK, USA) — A flight attendant seriously injured in last week’s Air Canada Express crash at LaGuardia Airport is facing a long recovery after doctors confirmed she suffered two shattered legs, a fractured spine, and major tissue damage. If you were booked on Air Canada Express out of LaGuardia, the bigger takeaway is that the airport’s recovery is continuing under intense scrutiny, with investigators now examining the wreckage and flight recorders.
The March 24 accident involved an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 that collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport. The crash killed the flight’s two pilots and sent 41 people to area hospitals, including passengers, crew, and Port Authority Police Department officers. Most of those hospitalized have since been released, but several people remain under care for serious injuries.
The most alarming new details involve Solange Tremblay, a 26-year Air Canada flight attendant. Her daughter, Sarah Lepine, launched a GoFundMe after the crash and said her mother was found conscious after the impact, still strapped into her jumpseat and thrown far from the wreckage.
Doctors initially described Tremblay’s injuries as multiple leg fractures. That picture has since grown far more severe. She suffered open fractures in both legs, requiring metal plates and repeated surgeries. She also has a fractured spine that may require surgery, plus skin grafts after losing tissue in the slide across the tarmac. She even needed a blood transfusion during surgery.
Her family says survival itself feels astonishing.
Lepine called it a “total miracle” and said her mother seems to have had a “guardian angel” watching over her. For travelers, it is a reminder that the people working your flight often face the greatest risk in an emergency, even when passengers are focused on getting off the aircraft.
The crash remains under active federal investigation. If you have an Air Canada or Air Canada Express itinerary through New York, watch for schedule changes and rebooking messages closely.
Here’s what we know about the people affected
| Group | Details |
|---|---|
| Flight attendant | Solange Tremblay, serious injuries, multiple surgeries |
| Pilots | Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forrest, both died on impact |
| Hospitalized | 41 total people |
| Released | 32 people |
| Remaining hospitalized | Several people with serious injuries |
| PAPD officers | Injured officers and a sergeant are reported stable |
The Port Authority Police Department officers involved in the fire truck incident are also stable, according to the latest updates. That matters because airport ground incidents can involve not just airline crews and passengers, but also the first responders who race in to contain the scene.
Investigators have already recovered the flight recorders, and the National Transportation Safety Board is now inspecting the debris field. The FAA also has an open investigation. That means travelers should expect a slow drip of official findings rather than quick answers.
What this means for travelers
For flyers, the immediate mileage impact is limited. This is not a program change, fare change, or earning devaluation. But if you were displaced from a canceled or rescheduled Air Canada Express itinerary, your rebooked flight should still earn Aeroplan points as usual, assuming it is ticketed and flown in an eligible fare class. If your trip was moved onto a partner carrier, check the booking class before you fly.
The crash also highlights a point frequent flyers rarely think about: the hardware behind the jumpseat can matter as much as the cabin layout itself. Aviation experts have pointed to the crew jumpseat’s four-point restraint system, which is built for extreme crash loads. In Tremblay’s case, that restraint likely helped keep her alive.
That detail stands out on the CRJ-900, a regional jet used widely across North America on short-haul routes. It is a common workhorse aircraft, especially on regional services feeding major hubs like New York and Toronto. For travelers, that means this was not some exotic one-off aircraft type. It was a routine regional flight on a routine airport run, which makes the accident hit even harder.
| Aircraft detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Air Canada Express CRJ-900 |
| Route type | Regional service |
| Safety note | Four-point crew jumpseat restraint likely helped survival |
Competitive context matters here too. Regional flying is often sold as a simple hop, but incidents like this show why airline crews, airport responders, and aircraft safety systems matter so much on short segments. Major carriers in the U.S. and Canada rely heavily on regional jets, so any serious ground collision draws close attention from travelers and regulators alike.
For passengers, the practical advice is simple: check your Air Canada Express reservation before you leave for the airport, allow extra time at LaGuardia, and keep an eye on any rebooking notices if you are connecting through New York. If your trip is affected, preserve every receipt and boarding pass, since those documents help with refund or disruption claims. Travelers with upcoming flights through LaGuardia should expect the investigation to keep airport operations under a microscope for days to come.
