.jpg)
Wlaf1450
NEW YORK CITY, NY (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- Campbell Countian and commercial airline pilot Noah Smith was not far removed from Sunday night’s fatal airplane crash at New York City. The accident occurred when a fire engine was given permission to cross the tarmac and then collided with Air Canada Express CRJ-900. He shares his story.
“Sunday night, as I touched down at LaGuardia Airport on the same approach and the very same runway, coming in from Knoxville, I had no idea the tragedy that would unfold on that very runway only a few hours after I had landed.
Two fellow airline pilots on an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 were taken far too soon while doing the work we all know so intimately—guiding passengers safely to the gate through darkness, weather, fatigue, and the constant pressure that comes with every flight. My heart is broken for their families, their colleagues, and everyone who knew and loved them.
As an airline pilot who flies the very same CRJ-900, this hits especially close to home. I know the weight these pilots carried every single day—the split-second decisions, the fatigue that builds over long duty days, the unrelenting responsibility for every soul on board. We all feel the stress. The long hours, the pressure to be perfect when nothing in aviation ever is, the constant push to keep everyone safe while the world below keeps moving. Nights like last night remind us how heavy that burden truly is, and how quickly things can change.
As a Christian, I find myself leaning hard on my faith right now. I’m reminded that our lives are held in the hands of a sovereign God who sees every takeoff, every landing, and every moment of quiet exhaustion in the cockpit. I don’t know the pilots’ beliefs, but I know the God I serve walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. I’m praying for their families, their friends, and their crew—asking the Lord to wrap them in a peace that only He can give. I’m praying for the passengers and first responders who were injured, and for every pilot and flight attendant still climbing into the cockpit today carrying the same weight we all carry.
To every brother and sister who climbs into the flight deck: hold your loved ones tighter tonight. Check on one another. We share this demanding profession and its invisible burdens. May we continue to fly with the professionalism and care these two displayed, and may God grant strength and healing to all who grieve today.
Fly high, brothers. Rest easy.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-03/24/2026-6AM-PHOTOS SUBMITTED)