By AP May 4, 2026, 4:22:37 PM IST (Published)
A United Airlines passenger jet carrying 221 passengers from Venice, Italy, struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike Sunday afternoon while on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport, authorities said.
United Airlines Flight 169, with 10 crew members aboard, sustained minor damage but none of the passengers or crew were injured, the airline said. The Federal Aviation Administration said the Boeing 767 landed safely after it “came into contact with a light pole” during its approach.
New Jersey State Police reported that a landing tire and the underside of the aircraft also struck a delivery truck on the Turnpike; the light pole then struck a Jeep. The truck driver suffered minor injuries, was taken to a hospital and later released, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.
The Port Authority confirmed an object was struck and that the delivery truck was damaged. Airport staff inspected the runway for debris, observed minor damage to the aircraft, and resumed normal operations quickly.
United said its maintenance team was assessing the aircraft and that the crew had been removed from service while the airline conducts a “rigorous” flight safety investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board said an investigator would arrive in Newark on Monday and that it directed United to provide the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. A preliminary NTSB report was expected within 30 days.
Aircraft on final approach to one of Newark’s main runways pass low over multiple lanes of the Turnpike; the runway begins very close to the highway.
