Forest’s hometown, the small city of Coteau-du-Lac in southwestern Quebec, paid tribute to the pilot and offered condolences to his family, according to Canadian broadcaster TVA Nouvelles.
Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto confirmed that former student Gunther, who was the flight’s first officer, died in the crash. The college said he graduated with a degree in aviation technology in 2023 and joined Jazz through a graduate scheme.
“Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors. He will be deeply missed,” Seneca said in its in memoriam notice, adding that it would make counselling services available to current students.
‘The loudest boom I’ve ever heard’
One passenger on the Jazz Aviation flight told NBC News that she was snoozing on the plane when she was awoken by a flight attendant’s announcement.
“If this flight has an emergency landing, don’t take your luggage with you. Just exit quickly,” Rebecca Liquori recalled hearing. She described a rough descent and then the crash shortly after the plane touched down.
“It was like a grinding sound. Then, a couple seconds after that, you just felt the collision,” she said. “It was like the loudest boom I’ve ever heard.”
But it still isn’t exactly clear how the crash occurred.
Photos from after the crash show the plane wreck. The nose of the aircraft appeared torn off, leaving mangled parts of the front of the plane dangling toward the ground.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the investigation will span the aircraft’s operations, examine components of the plane and the flight control system, and analyze the accident scene, air traffic control, and airport operations.
Aviation experts have said investigators will examine the possibility of radio failures, failed runway crossing procedures, and human error, among other factors, to determine what went wrong.
Air traffic control audio recordings released by LiveATC appear to show a controller giving the truck the go-ahead to cross the runway, but soon afterwards, a controller says, “Truck 1, stop.” After the collision, an air traffic controller is heard on the audio saying, “I messed up.”
It was the first fatal crash at the New York airport in more than 30 years, officials said Monday.
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