The deadly runway collision at LaGuardia became even more astonishing when one survival story emerged from the wreckage. On the night of March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express regional jet arriving from Montréal collided with a Port Authority fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of others. Officials said the plane was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, and 41 passengers and crew members were taken to hospitals after the crash. Among the survivors was flight attendant Solange Tremblay, who, according to her daughter Sarah Lépine, was found still strapped into her seat after being thrown a significant distance from the aircraft. Her daughter called it a “total miracle,” saying Solange suffered a badly broken leg and other injuries but was expected to survive.

The detail experts believe may explain that survival is the seat itself. Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the crew jump seat used by flight attendants is built differently from standard passenger seats: it folds down, is bolted to the aircraft structure, and is designed to withstand far greater crash forces because crew members may need to help evacuate passengers after an impact. That stronger design, along with the restraint system, likely gave Tremblay a level of protection ordinary cabin seating would not. In a crash that left the aircraft heavily damaged and the airport shut down for hours, her survival stands out not just as remarkable luck, but as a reminder that specialized safety engineering can make an extraordinary difference in the worst possible moment.