A deadly collision at LaGuardia Airport could have resulted in far greater loss of life, but an aviation expert says "pure luck" helped limit the damage.
An Air Canada Express jet struck a Port Authority fire truck while landing late Sunday night, killing two pilots and injuring dozens onboard and on the ground.
However, the specific point of impact played a critical role in preventing a catastrophic fire.
Former Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector David Soucie told CNN that the aircraft hit "directly in the middle of the fire truck," which pushed the vehicle forward and confined most of the damage to the plane's nose.
According to Soucie, a slight difference in positioning could have dramatically changed the outcome.
Had the truck been even 40 feet ahead or behind, the aircraft might have struck its wings, engines, or fuel tanks.
"That would have created a huge fire and … many, many fatalities," he said.
"So as tragic as this is for the two that we've lost, just out of pure luck," he added, the impact location significantly reduced the number of deaths.
