A United Airlines Boeing 767 arriving from Venice, Italy, struck a highway streetlight and a tractor-trailer during its approach to Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, injuring the truck’s driver but leaving all on board the plane unharmed. According to New Jersey State Police, the incident occurred as United Flight 169 was landing on Runway 29, which sits less than 400 feet from the New Jersey Turnpike.
The plane, carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members, was traveling at more than 160 miles per hour when its landing gear and underside hit a streetlight pole and then a tractor-trailer on the busy highway. The pole subsequently struck a Jeep traveling nearby. Dashcam footage from the truck showed the sudden impact as the plane’s landing gear struck the vehicle, shattering glass and startling the driver.
The truck driver, identified as Warren Boardley of Baltimore, sustained cuts to his arm but was able to pull over safely. He was treated at a hospital and released later Sunday, according to Chuck Paterakis, a representative of the bakery company that owns the truck. No injuries were reported among the plane’s passengers or crew, and the aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power.
Airport authorities and the Port Authority Police Department responded immediately. Operations at the airport quickly returned to normal after staff inspected the runway and surrounding area for debris.
United Airlines has removed the crew from service pending an internal review and said its maintenance team is evaluating the aircraft’s minor damage. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent an investigator to Newark and requested the cockpit voice and flight data recorders as part of its investigation. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, according to the NTSB.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and state authorities are also conducting their own investigations to determine how the incident occurred. Runway 29 is not always in use, but when wind conditions require, planes land over the turnpike at low altitude, which can be startling for drivers.
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