By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A new NTSB report found that airfield warnings were missed in the seconds before a fatal ARFF runway crash at a New York City airport.
• The vehicle struck an aircraft during takeoff, killing the ARFF firefighter and injuring another.
• Investigators found missed alerts from ground radar and automated warnings in the final moments before impact.
• The report includes safety recommendations to prevent similar runway incursions.
NEW YORK, NY — Seconds of missed airfield warnings occurred before a fatal aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle crash on a New York City runway, according to a preliminary report released Friday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The ARFF vehicle struck a departing aircraft on the runway at the airport last year, killing one firefighter and injuring another, investigators said. Radar data and automated alert logs reviewed by the NTSB showed that critical warnings of the vehicle’s presence were not acted on in the final seconds before impact.
Investigators noted that several layers of alert systems, including ground movement radar alerts and visual signals, were available but not fully heeded by air traffic control and ground personnel during the incident sequence.
The report did not assign probable cause but identified safety issues related to communication and alert response, and it made recommendations aimed at improving coordination between ARFF units, controllers and flight crews.
The NTSB said its investigation remains open as it continues to gather information and work toward final determinations, and officials urged implementation of the recommendations to reduce runway incursion risks.