A United Airlines Boeing 767, operating as Flight 169 from Venice, Italy, struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike while on final descent to Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials said.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported the impact occurred around 2 p.m. as the aircraft was approaching Newark. Despite the collision with the light pole, the jet continued to land and touched down safely at the airport, according to FAA statements.
The Port Authority said the strike caused damage to the light pole and to a tractor trailer that was traveling on the nearby highway. Airport authorities inspected the runway for debris following the landing and found only minor damage to the aircraft itself; there were no injuries reported among passengers or crew on the flight.
The tractor trailer’s driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and has since been released, the Port Authority said. Airport staff carried out searches of the runway area for debris, and officials said normal airport operations were quickly resumed after those inspections.
The FAA confirmed it will investigate the incident. United Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the circumstances surrounding the light pole strike.
Context and immediate response
Airport personnel conducted post-landing inspections to check for debris on the runway and determined it was safe to continue normal operations. Authorities reported only minor observable damage to the aircraft. The Port Authority indicated that both the light pole and a tractor trailer on the adjacent highway sustained damage as a result of the contact.
Ongoing steps
The Federal Aviation Administration has said it will look into the event. Beyond confirming the investigation, the FAA has not released additional details on the cause or any preliminary findings. United Airlines had not provided a comment at the time officials released these details.