FAA MOVES TO FIRE 2 LA GUARDIA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AFTER DEADLY COLLISION Per WSJ, Federal aviation officials have determined that two LaGuardia air-traffic controllers left work about an hour before their shifts ended on March 22, shortly before the deadly runway collision involving Air Canada Express Flight 8646 and a firetruck. The FAA is moving to terminate the two controllers, according to people familiar with the matter. Their early departure meant the two controllers remaining in the tower had no additional backup while handling an exceptionally heavy workload. LaGuardia was handling more than twice its usual traffic volume that night amid thunderstorms and major disruptions. The collision killed both pilots aboard the Air Canada Express regional jet and seriously injured six others, including a crew member, passengers and workers on the ground, according to the NTSB. The practice of controllers leaving before the end of their shifts is known as an “early shove.” Current and former controllers describe it as a longstanding practice that has sometimes been tolerated by managers. The FAA considers it a form of timecard fraud. The investigation into the controllers’ departures comes as the FAA takes a tougher stance on alleged timecard and leave-policy abuse. The agency has moved to terminate more than 10 controllers this year over similar allegations, though termination cases can take time and may ultimately result in lesser penalties or reversals. Importantly, the NTSB has NOT concluded that staffing levels or the controllers’ early departures caused or contributed to the collision. The investigation remains ongoing. The sequence that night was already highly complex: thunderstorms disrupted operations, a United crew twice aborted takeoff and declared an emergency, while a controller cleared a responding firetruck to cross a runway where Air Canada Express 8646 had also been cleared to land.