Federal safety inspectors are investigating to determine how it happened
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A United Airlines jet struck a light pole and a tractor-trailer while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport.
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The aircraft, arriving from Venice with more than 230 people onboard, landed safely with no passenger injuries.
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The incident is under federal investigation after the truck driver sustained minor injuries and dramatic video surfaced.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is on the scene at Newark Liberty Airport, investigating the latest close call involving a commercial airliner.
In this case, it was a United Airlines passenger jet that narrowly avoided catastrophe Sunday afternoon when it struck a light pole and a tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike while descending to land at the airport.
The dramatic dashcam video below shows the moment when the wide-bodied jet made contact with the truck carrying bakery goods.
The Boeing 767 aircraft, operating as United Flight 169 from Venice, Italy, was on final approach when its landing gear and underside collided with roadside infrastructure and a truck traveling below the flight path. The approach route takes planes low over one of the busiest stretches of Interstate 95, leaving little margin for error.
Despite the impact, the plane continued its descent and landed safely, taxiing to the gate without further incident. None of the 221 passengers or 10 crew members onboard were injured.
Driver injured, highway chaos narrowly avoided
The collision damaged the tractor-trailer and snapped a light pole, which then fell and struck a nearby vehicle on the highway, authorities said. The truck driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and later released.
Dashcam footage from the truck captured the moment of impact, showing the aircraft flying alarmingly close to traffic before striking the pole and vehicle. The video quickly spread online, underscoring how narrowly the situation avoided becoming far more deadly.
Investigation underway
The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched investigations into the incident, which has been formally classified as an aviation accident due to the damage involved. Officials are reviewing flight data recorders and interviewing the crew, who have been removed from service pending the outcome.
Preliminary information suggests the aircraft was flying unusually low during its final approach, though such low-altitude passes over the Turnpike are routine for Runway 29 at Newark.
Airport operations resumed shortly after the incident, following runway inspections, and United Airlines said its maintenance teams are evaluating the aircraft for damage.
While no lives were lost, aviation experts say the close call highlights the risks inherent in approaches over dense infrastructure and raises fresh questions about safety margins at one of the nations busiest airports.
Posted: 2026-05-05 12:56:33
