Deadly LaGuardia Airport crash investigation prompts Port Authority to install transponders in airfield vehicles
The Port Authority announced Tuesday it will install transponders to help air traffic controllers detect fire trucks and other airfield vehicles at local airports.
Transponders send a signal to air traffic controllers so they can pinpoint where specific trucks are on the runway.
They made the call after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found the fire truck in a deadly collision at LaGuardia Airport did not have a transponder. Two pilots were killed, and dozens of people were injured.
Why didn't the truck have a transponder?
The air traffic controller who cleared an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority fire truck for the same runway in March had access to a Federal Aviation Administration safety system designed to alert him about runway dangers. That system, known as ASDE-X, never alerted the controller, but he did warn the truck to stop seconds before the crash.
The NTSB says in order for ASDE-X to work well, vehicles on runways need transponders, which the fire truck involved in the crash did not have.
Rick Castaldo, a retired FAA engineer who helped install earlier versions of ASDE at airports across the United States about 20 years ago, said that vehicles lacking transponders was a common problem when he was at the FAA.
So why isn't every vehicle that ever goes on a runway equipped with a device to communicate with ASDE-X?
"Seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it?" Castaldo said. "It's all about the dollars."
He said it's a good idea for the Port Authority to install the transponders, and he wants other airports across the U.S. to do the same. Castaldo said it's up to airports, not the FAA, to equip their trucks, but airports often get federal tax money for upgrades.
"What they could do, in my opinion, is strongly encourage airports that, you're not gonna get this grant money unless you force this equipage," he said.
Castaldo said it's hard to say if a transponder would have prevented the deadly crash.
"I'd love to be inside the FAA today to get some transparency with what they saw and what they didn't see," he said.
NTSB investigation is ongoing
An FAA alert from May 2025 encouraged airports to use transponders, and the Port Authority said it began testing them at Newark Liberty International Airport in December 2025.
Now, the Port Authority said it is equipping fire trucks and other airfield vehicles with transponders at Newark Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The agency would not agree to an interview with CBS News New York, but said in a statement:
"We thank the NTSB for its ongoing work on this complex investigation and continue to monitor its findings closely. The report reflects that the ARFF vehicle was dispatched as part of an emergency response and was operating in direct communication with, and under the direction of, air traffic control. As outlined in the preliminary findings, the vehicle approached the runway, contacted the tower, and proceeded after receiving clearance.
"As noted in the report, the airport is equipped with an Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) system which is used by Air Traffic Control to track surface movement of aircraft and ground vehicles, allowing controllers to see the real-time positions of aircraft and ground vehicles. Although ASDE-X is intended to provide tower alerts of potential collisions, the FAA has reported that it did not do so in this case. The tower appears to have been in radio contact with the ARFF truck until several seconds before the collision. The preliminary findings also reflect how multiple safety systems and procedures interact in real-world conditions, particularly during complex emergency responses involving multiple vehicles.
"The Port Authority has made targeted investments in safety technology for its ARFF and other airfield vehicles, including systems designed to track vehicle movements and support operator awareness across the airfield. We also recognize that transponder technology can provide an additional layer of visibility on top of existing surface-surveillance systems that already track ground movements. In May 2025, the FAA issued updated guidance encouraging broader use of transponder technology, and a December 2025 pilot program was already underway at Newark Liberty prior to this incident. We will be expanding that capability across our airports, building on the technology already in place.
"We will continue to work closely with the NTSB as its investigation proceeds and remain focused on working with the FAA to strengthen safety across our airfield operations."
The FAA also would not agree to an interview with us for this story.
The NTSB has not said what caused the crash, and its investigation is not over.
