FAA moves to fire two LaGuardia air traffic controllers who left work early before March 22 runway collision
The FAA is pursuing disciplinary action, up to termination, against two LaGuardia air traffic controllers who left their shifts about an hour early on March 22, 2026, the night an Air Canada Express jet collided with a fire truck on the runway, killing both pilots. Their early departure left two controllers in the tower to manage above-normal traffic volume. The NTSB investigation is ongoing, with a final report expected in 2027.
23
Divergence score
11 outlets covered it, splitting into 10 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
10 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 11 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
AP News
Daily Wire
Washington Times
ABC News
CNN
South China Morning Post
Globe and Mail
Wall Street Journal
Reuters
NY Post
CBS News
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
Daily Wire
Air-Traffic Controllers Clocked Out Early Before Deadly Crash
timecard fraud emphasis with Duffy contradiction · negative
CNN
2 air traffic controllers left work early the night an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia, source says - CNN
investigation-focused with controller leave status · neutral
First to report
- Wall Street Journalfirst
- Globe and Mail+1.8 h
- CNN+2.1 h
- South China Morning Post+3.3 h
- CBS News+3.8 h
- Reuters+4.2 h
- NY Post+5.2 h
- ABC News+5.5 h
- Daily Wire+16.9 h
- Washington Times+22.0 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Most outlets relay the same WSJ scoop on controllers leaving early; Daily Wire uniquely highlights Duffy's March staffing claims as contradictory, while SCMP frames it within Trump administration's broader crackdown on leave abuse.
How each outlet covered it
Broad agreement on what happened
Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.
THE LEFT
“2 air traffic controllers left work early the night an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia, source says - CNN”CNN CNN LEFT
23LOW DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT
“LaGuardia controllers reportedly left early before March runway collision”WT Washington Times RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“FAA moves to fire two controllers who left work before fatal LaGuardia collision, sources say - Reuters” · AP News, South China Morning Post, Globe and Mail, Reuters
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 11 outlets put it
LEFT-CENTER2
ABCABC News FAA looking to fire air traffic controllers after deadly March collision: Sources 14d ago CBSCBS News 2 LaGuardia air traffic controllers left work early before deadly collision, government source says - CBS News 15d ago CENTER2
APAP News 2 LaGuardia air traffic controllers left work an hour early before deadly crash, AP source says RReuters FAA moves to fire two controllers who left work before fatal LaGuardia collision, sources say - Reuters 15d ago RIGHT3
DWDaily Wire Air-Traffic Controllers Clocked Out Early Before Deadly Crash 14d ago WTWashington Times LaGuardia controllers reportedly left early before March runway collision 14d ago NYPNY Post LaGuardia air traffic controllers left work early on night of deadly Air Canada jet and fire truck collision: report 14d ago 11 tracked claims across 11 outlets
Fact ledger
All11Claimed3Corroborated8
1/11
Claimed
Duffy's August statement conflicts with his March comments that LaGuardia was fully staffed
Corroborated
Disputed
10 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger