**NEWARK, NJ** – An investigation is underway following an unusual incident on Sunday afternoon where a United Airlines passenger jet struck a light pole and a delivery truck on the New Jersey Turnpike while on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport. The flight, UA169, a Boeing 767 originating from Venice, Italy, landed safely with no injuries reported among the 221 passengers and 10 crew members aboard.
The striking of the light pole and truck occurred as the aircraft neared Runway 29. Preliminary investigations by the New Jersey State Police suggest that a tire from the plane’s landing gear and the underside of the aircraft made contact with both the light pole and the tractor-trailer. The light pole, after being struck by the aircraft, also hit a Jeep traveling on the turnpike. United Airlines confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate normally, with no injuries to passengers or crew.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the event. The NTSB has dispatched an investigator to Newark and has requested the flight’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. A preliminary report is anticipated within 30 days. United Airlines stated that its maintenance team is assessing the damage to the aircraft, and the flight crew has been removed from service pending a thorough safety investigation.
The close proximity of the New Jersey Turnpike to the airport’s runways, particularly Runway 29, has been noted as a factor in such low approaches. While operations at Newark Liberty International Airport quickly resumed after airport staff cleared the runway of any debris, the incident raises questions about aviation safety procedures and the challenges of operating in densely populated areas.
