They came from different parts of Canada and followed distinct paths into aviation, yet their journeys converged in the cockpit of an Air Canada Express regional jet on a night that would leave a lasting impact on dozens of lives. Antoine Forest, from Quebec, had built his career through years of perseverance in smaller aircraft and aviation roles before reaching the flight deck. Mackenzie Gunther, trained in Ontario and a graduate of Seneca Polytechnic, was just beginning the career he had long worked toward. Both men were killed when Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York on March 22, 2026.
In the moments before the collision, witness accounts and preliminary investigations suggest the pilots were still striving to manage an almost unimaginable emergency. The cockpit bore the brunt of the impact, while most of the 76 passengers survived, albeit with injuries. Early reports credit the pilots’ quick thinking, heavy braking, and decisive actions with mitigating the crash’s severity and preventing even greater loss of life, though investigators continue to determine exactly what went wrong on the runway.
For the families, the public narrative captures only a portion of the story. They lost sons, brothers, and partners—men whose lives extended far beyond the headlines. Friends and colleagues describe both pilots as deeply devoted to flying, driven by ambition, hard work, and a profound love for the profession that defined their adult lives. The personal loss resonates not only in their homes and communities but throughout the aviation world, which recognizes the potential cut tragically short.
What remains is more than wreckage or an ongoing investigation—it is the memory of two men who remained at their posts in the final, critical moments of the flight. Passengers endured panic, smoke, and fear, only to realize they had survived. As investigators scrutinize failed alert systems, runway protocols, and the truck’s lack of a transponder, the human reality is unmistakable: two young pilots lost their lives, while many others were given the chance to go home.