When you’re driving on the highway, you don’t generally expect that you’re at risk of being hit by a commercial aircraft. Yet that’s exactly what just happened. I first covered this yesterday, but would like to provide an update, as some more details have been made available.
United 767 causes damage on New Jersey Turnpike
This incident happened on Sunday, May 3, 2026, and involves United Airlines flight UA169, flying from Venice (VCE) to Newark (EWR). Specifically, the flight was operated by a 23-year-old Boeing 767-400ER with the registration code N77066, and there were 231 people onboard, including 221 passengers and 10 crew.
At around 1:50PM local time, after a roughly 8hr30min flight, the aircraft was on a visual approach to Newark’s runway 29. It obviously approached too low, to the point that the plane hit both a light pole and a catering truck on the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95), just past the runway perimeter.
The point of impact was a little over 700 feet from the runway threshold. Prior to the landing, the tower advised the pilots that winds were 300 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 31 knots, and visibility was good. So winds were on the gustier side, but not that far off from the runway heading, and not in a way that should’ve made this a particularly challenging landing.
One video is taken from inside a car, and doesn’t show a direct impact, but you can hear people cursing, obviously in disbelief at what they saw.
Another video is from inside the bakery truck that was hit by the wheel of the aircraft (the wheel reportedly crashed into the driver’s window). The video is rather graphic, but fortunately it sounds like the driver wasn’t seriously injured.
When the plane landed, pilots reported to air traffic control that they felt something when they landed near the runway threshold, and there was also confirmation that there was a hole in the side of the plane.
In a statement, the airline confirmed the incident, saying the plane landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power, with no passengers or crew being injured. The carrier’s maintenance team is now evaluating damage to the aircraft, as well as investigating the cause.
It’s worth mentioning that United’s official statement only references that the plane “came into contact with a light pole,” and makes no mention of the truck that was hit.
The FAA is now investigating this United 767 incident
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now investigating this incident, so let’s see what comes of this. There were no reports of any issues with the aircraft prior to the “contact,” so it sounds like the plane just ended up lower than it should’ve, for whatever reason.
Newark’s runway 29 is commonly used for landings, but it’s not terribly long, at 6,725 feet in length. That’s not problematically short, but it also means that pilots are trying to make sure they don’t land too far down the runway. Furthermore, with the New Jersey Turnpike right there, it makes for some dramatic approaches.
Just a few weeks ago, video footage was uploaded of a United Boeing 777-200ER making what looked like a dangerously low approach to the same runway, to the point that a person in the car was screaming.
Incidents like what we saw just shouldn’t happen. The Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights were operational during the landing, which should’ve given the pilots a clear indication that they were too low. Was this an unstable approach, or how did they mess this up so badly?
While United still has a great safety record in the scheme of things, the airline does seem to have more takeoff and landing incidents than American and Delta (at least in terms of those that are widely talked about), and it’s hard to know what to make of that.
A couple of years ago, the FAA even increased oversight of United, due to a series of incidents. However, the investigation ultimately didn’t reveal any major systematic issues.
Bottom line
On Sunday, a United Boeing 767 had an eventful approach to Newark Airport, when it struck a light pole and a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike. While Newark’s runway 29 is known for some low approaches, this is obviously a major issue, and should never happen. Fortunately no one onboard the aircraft was injured, and it still landed safely. Furthermore, the driver of the truck didn’t sustain serious injuries, which is a relief.
What do you make of this strange United 767 incident?
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