A former contestant on Dancing With The Stars has shared that she was on the Air Canada flight that crashed last week. She credits the two pilots who died in the crash with saving her life.
A plane from Air Canada hit a fire truck while landing at the New York City airport last week, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and sending at least 41 people to the hospital.
Charlotte Jorgensen is describing the frightening event and praising the courage of the two pilots who gave their lives to protect the passengers.
Former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ professional dancer, Jorgensen, is recovering at home after an incident that has been very difficult for her, both physically and emotionally.
On Sunday, she shared a painful photo of the damaged plane and expressed her sympathy to the families of the pilots who had passed away, describing the difficult experience.
She shared on Instagram that a week ago, after enjoying a great weekend in Montreal, she flew back to New York City on Air Canada flight 8646.
As many of you likely know, a firetruck tragically collided with an aircraft on the runway. I owe my life to the incredible bravery of Captain Antoine Forest and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther, who gave their lives so that others could survive. I am deeply grateful to them, and my heart goes out to their families during this difficult time.
I didn’t feel a thing during the moment, with all the adrenaline, but the following days have been really difficult – I’ve been struggling physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I’m home now and doing well, with Nelson and Vivianna helping me recover. I’m focusing on getting better and I’m so thankful for all the support and love I’ve received. Sending everyone a big hug!
‘Thank you to my @dancingwiththestars family for your care and concern.’
The crash tragically claimed the lives of Air Canada pilots Mackenzie Gunther, 30, and Captain Antoine Forest, 24. Their remains have been returned to Canada.
The plane crashed late Sunday night while landing. It hit an airport fire truck that had been given permission to cross the runway to deal with a different problem on another aircraft.
The air traffic controller immediately recognized his error and urgently asked the fire truck to halt, but his request came too late.
Newly released surveillance video shows the moment an Air Canada plane, traveling around 150 miles per hour, collided with something, causing its nose to break off.
Experts believe the situation could have been much more catastrophic if the truck had hit the plane’s fuel tanks.
Oh my god, I just heard the controller talking to Jazz 646! He said they… they actually hit something on the runway! He told them to just stay put, that he knew they couldn’t move. And then… and then he said emergency vehicles were already on their way! I’m seriously freaking out right now, hoping everyone’s okay. Jazz 646… please be safe!
Air traffic control recordings revealed the dispatcher informing the crew of a nearby Frontier Airlines plane that the runway was about to close, and asking if they wanted to return to the gate.
‘We got stuff in progress for that man, that wasn’t good to watch,’ a Frontier pilot said.
The controller explained he’d tried contacting them, admitting he made a mistake while handling an emergency. The Frontier pilot quickly responded, reassuring him that he’d done everything he could.
The aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members. Forty-one people needed to be taken to the hospital, but most have already been discharged.
The accident wasn’t due to problems with airport security at La Guardia.
Because of the current government shutdown, TSA employees who check passengers at airport security haven’t received a paycheck since January.
Staff shortages have caused significant delays, with long security lines reported at LaGuardia and airports nationwide.
Air traffic control has been consistently understaffed for years, and experts have repeatedly warned that this is pushing controllers to their limits, increasing the risk of a serious incident.
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2026-03-31 00:06