The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving to fire two air traffic controllers who left their shifts an hour early on the night of the deadly Air Canada runway crash at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York. The incident, which occurred on March 23, resulted in the deaths of both pilots on board the Air Canada Express jet and left dozens of passengers injured, prompting the airport to shut down for more than 12 hours.

According to a report by ABC7 New York, the FAA’s investigation found that the two workers left their posts about one hour before their scheduled shift ended. This practice, known among controllers as an "early shove," is considered timecard fraud, especially given ongoing staffing shortages that require many controllers to work six days a week.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy condemned the controllers’ actions, stating, "The vast majority of air traffic controllers are great patriots -- they show up for work, complete their full shift, and come back and do it all again. But when a small percentage of individuals take advantage of the American taxpayer, unfairly add additional work to their fellow controllers, and impact the airspace-- we have no choice but to act. We will not tolerate fraud, and we are taking appropriate action to hold folks accountable and prevent unlawful practices from disrupting the traveling public," according to ABC7 New York.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the FAA is now taking steps to terminate the employment of both controllers. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said it is currently in discussions with FAA leadership about the situation.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicated that, at the time of the crash, only one controller was handling both ground and air traffic responsibilities—a job typically performed by two people. The only other controller present was managing a separate emergency involving another aircraft. After a similar collision at LaGuardia in 1997, rules were put in place to prohibit combining these roles before midnight.

There has been no official statement yet on whether the absence of the two controllers directly contributed to the cause of the crash. Investigations by the FAA and NTSB are ongoing, and further disciplinary actions or safety policy changes may be announced in the coming weeks.

Simon Conway