Air traffic controller was juggling extra roles during LaGuardia crash : NPR

Key Points:

• The NTSB has raised concerns about staffing procedures at LaGuardia Airport's air traffic control tower during the Air Canada plane crash, noting that two controllers were managing multiple roles amid a heavy workload.
• One controller was responsible for local runway management, while the other controller in charge also handled clearance delivery duties; there is uncertainty about who was managing ground vehicle movements at the time.
• The midnight shift, known for fatigue risks, was in effect during the accident, though no evidence currently links fatigue to the crash; LaGuardia's air traffic control is reportedly near full staffing with 33 of 37 controllers present.
• Analysis of the cockpit voice recorder revealed communication interruptions and that firefighters were authorized to cross the runway responding to another plane's fumes, but their vehicle lacked a transponder, and the airport's surface detection system failed to alert controllers.
• The NTSB continues to investigate key unknowns, including the source of interrupted radio transmissions, whether firefighters received stop commands, if pilots saw the fire truck, and why a controller remained on duty post-crash.