The second pilot killed in the LaGuardia Airport collision has been identified as Mackenzie Gunther, a 2023 graduate who had recently begun his professional aviation career.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the aircraft collided with the vehicle as it crossed the runway in response to a separate emergency involving a United Airlines flight reporting an odor onboard. The incident left both pilots dead with more than 40 people injured, including passengers, crew members, and two firefighters.
“Through the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program, he joined Jazz Aviation immediately after graduation and began his professional flying career,” the institution said. “He was the First Officer on the flight, operating as Air Canada Express, from Montreal to New York.”
In the same statement, Seneca Polytechnic extended condolences to those who knew him. “Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors,” the school said. “He will be deeply missed.” The college also announced that flags would be lowered to half-staff and counseling services would be made available to students and staff in the aftermath of the crash.
'Absolute Tragedy'
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford said during a press briefing that the crash was “an absolute tragedy,” adding that the pilots were “two young men at the start of their careers.”Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the agency is reviewing multiple factors, including air traffic control communications, runway operations, and emergency response procedures. “We deal in facts. We don’t speculate,” she said during a press conference, noting that data from the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder is being analyzed.