May 3 2026 UA169 (VCE-EWR) Struck Lightpole/Truck Upon Landing
May 3, 2026 | 4:38 pm
#1
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May 3 2026 UA169 (VCE-EWR) Struck Lightpole/Truck Upon Landing
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news...berty-airport/
An investigation is underway after a United Airlines plane struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike as it was coming in for a landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration said.Cellphone video appears to show Flight UA169, a Boeing 767 that originated in Venice, Italy, with 221 passengers and 10 crew members on board, flying low over the turnpike before landing just after 2 p.m.
"Upon its final approach into Newark International Airport, United flight 169 came into contact with a light pole. The aircraft landed safely, taxied to the gate normally and no passengers or crew were injured. Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft and we will investigate how this occurred," the airline said, in part, in a statement.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the plane was on its way to Runway 29 when it hit the pole, causing damage to the pole and a tractor trailer traveling south on the turnpike. The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and was later released.
"Upon its final approach into Newark International Airport, United flight 169 came into contact with a light pole. The aircraft landed safely, taxied to the gate normally and no passengers or crew were injured. Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft and we will investigate how this occurred," the airline said, in part, in a statement.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the plane was on its way to Runway 29 when it hit the pole, causing damage to the pole and a tractor trailer traveling south on the turnpike. The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and was later released.
May 3, 2026 | 4:51 pm
#2
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Driver was coming from Baltimore - my neck of the woods. The dash cam video is crazy. I cant believe he only ended up with minor injuries.
May 3, 2026 | 5:21 pm
#3
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29, of course.
Here's some (very short) video:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/un...213310716.html
And more video from truck driver's perspective on X:
Here's some (very short) video:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/un...213310716.html
And more video from truck driver's perspective on X:
May 3, 2026 | 5:35 pm
#5
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Makes me wonder if they reconsider that approach, as you have little room for error as that video shows if you come down too close to the Turnpike.
May 3, 2026 | 6:39 pm
#7
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I just saw the dashcam on WBAL and came to FT to read the thread. Unreal footage-and not something any truck driver expects to have happen!
May 3, 2026 | 6:44 pm
#8
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That truck driver looked like he was having a great day until 1 second before the collision.... he's probably sitting in the hospital right now thinking how lucky he is.
May 3, 2026 | 6:48 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2017
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Wow! I was on that plane and it was a rough landing indeed.
I was traveling in the Polaris cabin with 2 other people and we met after deplaning we all commented on how bad the landing was.
But not that bad that we could imagine what had happened !
I was traveling in the Polaris cabin with 2 other people and we met after deplaning we all commented on how bad the landing was.
But not that bad that we could imagine what had happened !
May 3, 2026 | 7:04 pm
#12
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"Wow" indeed!
So was the landing 'just' experienced as a hard touchdown and/or turbulence on final approach?
May 3, 2026 | 7:20 pm
#13
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May 3, 2026 | 7:35 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Probably so. But that approach has been happening for a while and often in windy conditions, so this will fall on those pilots. And they were not far off from total disaster. Pretty shocking really.
May 3, 2026 | 8:16 pm
#15
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Definitely lucky for all involved nothing serious from this incident. Based on ATC communication, apparently there is "a hole in the side of the airplane".
More development...apparently the delivery truck was directly struck by the plane, along with the pole, which the fallen pole then struck another vehicle.
More development...apparently the delivery truck was directly struck by the plane, along with the pole, which the fallen pole then struck another vehicle.