Air Canada crash: Flight attendant pictured after being thrown from plane
An Air Canada flight attendant who survived being thrown from the plane that collided with a firetruck on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport last week, an incident that killed both pilots and injured dozens, has been seen for the first time.
The attendant, identified by her family as Solange Tremblay, remained strapped into her jump seat when she was ejected during the crash of Air Canada/Jazz flight 8646 inbound from Montreal, her daughter, Sarah Lepine, said in a GoFundMe campaign for her mother’s medical expenses.
Lepine said Tremblay, who has been a flight attendant for 26 years, suffered “severe injuries” including two shattered legs and a fractured spine in a post showing her mother in a hospital bed with casts on her legs.
“My mom was conscious for all of this,” Lepine explained. “She continues to fight and recover at a hospital in New York.”
The Context
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opened an investigation focusing on how a Port Authority firetruck, which was responding to an issue on another plane, and an arriving Air Canada jet ended up on the same runway, an event that destroyed the aircraft’s nose section and killed the captain and first officer.
Federal investigators said the airport’s runway alerting system did not issue a warning before the collision.
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said during a news conference on Tuesday the system in place at LaGuardia, known as ASDE-X or Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X, did not alert ahead of the crash because there was no transponder in the firetruck.
The Air Canada flight was carrying over 70 passengers and four crew members.
A photo shared on GoFundMe shows Sarah Lepine and her mother Solange Tremblay as the flight attendant recovers in the hospital following the Air Canada crash. (Credit: GoFundMe)
Flight Attendant’s Survival and Injuries
Lepine called her mother’s survival a “total miracle” and said Tremblay suffered multiple fractures to a leg and required surgery but was otherwise stable.
Tremblay’s survival likely owed in part to the four-point restraint and robust mounting of flight attendant jump seats, which are designed to withstand higher crash loads than standard passenger seats, according to safety experts.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti told the Associated Press that Tremblay’s survival was extraordinary given the extent of the damage.
“The flight attendant’s seat is bolted to the wall and is very robust,” Guzzetti, a former federal crash investigator, said. “It’s designed to endure more crash loads than passenger seats because flight attendants need to be able to help passengers evacuate after an accident.”
Air Traffic Control and Ground Response Under Scrutiny
Investigators are focused on the coordination between air traffic control and ground vehicles as a key line of inquiry, with runway closure and debris recovery occurring in the immediate aftermath.
Recordings from the night revealed the air traffic controller gave permission for the firetruck to cross the runway ahead of the crash, telling the vehicle to stop multiple times just seconds before the collision.
Kathryn Garcia, the head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said officials would await NTSB findings before discussing changes, noting the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) regulatory authority over airport infrastructure.
What Caused the Air Canada Crash?
Investigators have not yet determined probable cause, which could take months. The NTSB is examining air traffic control communications and ground vehicle coordination.
Officials and airport leaders said they would not speculate ahead of NTSB findings.
Who Were the Pilots Killed in the Crash?
Captain Antoine Forest and first officer MacKenzie Gunther were the two pilots killed in the crash. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
What People Are Saying
Sarah Lepine, Solange Tremblay’s daughter, said in a GoFundMe Campaign: “…My mother, Solange Tremblay, was the senior flight attendant aboard this flight. She was sitting in her jump seat in the forward cabin of the plane, directly behind the cockpit. During the crash she was when she ejected over 320 feet from the wreckage. She was found still strapped in her jump seat lying on the tarmac.”
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said during a news conference Tuesday: “ASDE-X did not generate an alert due to the close proximity of vehicles merging and merging near the runway, resulting in the inability to create a track of high confidence.”
Jazz Aviation said in a statement: “Jazz Aviation LP, operating as Air Canada Express, confirms that an incident involving AC8646 operated by a CRJ900 has occurred at LaGuardia (LGA). Flight 8646 was en route to LGA from Montréal (YUL). The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members, although this is subject to confirmation. The incident occurred at approximately 11:47 p.m. on March 22, 2026.”
What Happens Next
Tremblay’s family said her recovery would likely take years and involve multiple surgeries and rehabilitation, and raised concerns about infection risk as treatment continues.
The GoFundMe has reached over $135,000 as of Sunday afternoon.
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