A United Airlines flight made contact with a light pole and a delivery truck during its landing sequence at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday, Fox Business reported. The incident, which occurred at approximately 2:00 PM, involved United Airlines Flight 169 as it arrived from Venice, Italy. Dashcam footage from inside the delivery truck has provided a clear look at the collision, which involved the aircraft’s undercarriage and a landing tire hitting the truck.
The flight was carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members at the time of the landing. While the situation sounds incredibly intense, it is a relief that everyone on board the aircraft remained unharmed. The plane managed to land safely and taxied to its designated gate without further incident. United Airlines confirmed that no passengers or crew members sustained injuries during the landing.
The driver of the delivery truck was not as fortunate, as he was transported to a hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries. According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, he has since been released from medical care. New Jersey State Police noted that their initial investigation revealed the aircraft’s impact with a light pole also caused that pole to strike a Jeep traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike. New Jersey State Police troopers were on the scene by 1:58 PM to address the situation.
Regarding the aircraft itself, United Airlines has stated that its maintenance teams are currently conducting a thorough inspection to assess the extent of the damage
As part of their standard safety procedures, the airline has removed the flight crew from service while the investigation is ongoing. The airline released an official statement saying, “Upon its final approach into Newark International Airport, United flight 169 came into contact with a light pole.” The statement further added, “The aircraft landed safely, taxied to the gate normally and no passengers or crew were injured.”
The airline also emphasized its commitment to safety, noting, “We will conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation into the incident and our crew has been removed from service as part of the process.” It is clear that the airline is taking the necessary steps to understand how this landing went wrong.
Federal authorities are now heavily involved in the process of determining exactly what happened on that runway. The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that the aircraft struck the pole at roughly 2:00 PM local time and has launched its own investigation. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board has opened a probe into the event. An NTSB investigator was expected to arrive in Newark on Monday to begin the formal inquiry.
The NTSB has already taken decisive action to preserve evidence. The agency has directed United Airlines to secure and provide both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. These pieces of equipment are vital for understanding the final moments of the flight and the actions taken by the crew during the landing. The NTSB indicated that a preliminary report outlining the facts and circumstances of the event is expected within 30 days.
This event at Newark is part of a series of recent headlines involving aviation safety. The incident occurred just days after a separate United pilot reported a possible drone encounter while approaching San Diego International Airport. That report was captured in air traffic audio. While the two events are distinct, they highlight the complex environment that pilots navigate daily.
For now, the investigation into the Newark landing remains active. New Jersey State Police mentioned that the crash remains under investigation and that no additional information is currently available. It is a top priority for the authorities to piece together how a commercial flight came into contact with ground infrastructure and a vehicle during its final approach.
We will have to wait for the NTSB preliminary report to get the full picture of the factors that led to this collision. It is fortunate that the outcome for the passengers and the truck driver was not more severe, given the nature of the impact. The maintenance teams and federal investigators have their work cut out for them in the coming weeks as they analyze the data from the recorders and the physical state of the aircraft.
Published: May 4, 2026 05:45 pm