FAA Fires Over 10 ATC Staff Over Timecard Abuses

Two air-traffic controllers at LaGuardia Airport left their posts early on the night of March 22, leaving the tower understaffed as an Air Canada Express jet landed and collided with an airport fire truck, killing two pilots and injuring several others. The FAA is moving to fire the two controllers and is examining a broader pattern of timecard irregularities, including unrecorded early departures known as “shoves.” Investigators say the reduced staffing may have contributed to the high workload that night, which involved thunderstorms and a surge in traffic. The agency has already terminated more than 10 controllers this year for timecard or leave-policy abuses, and unions are involved in discussions about disciplinary actions. The crash also raised questions about the order in which the fire truck crossed the runway and why it proceeded despite the developing emergency, with the NTSB and NATCA participating in the probe and awaiting the final report. The situation underscores ongoing concerns about staffing, accountability, and the integrity of timekeeping within air traffic control across the country.