A United Airlines jet clipped a light pole and a tractor-trailer as it came in to land at Newark Liberty International Airport.
United Airlines Flight 169 made contact with a light pole near the New Jersey Turnpike while landing at Newark on Sunday (May 3), according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The event happened at about 2PM on Runway 29, which sits at a right angle to the highway. Aircraft on approach commonly pass over the turnpike at low altitude before touching down.
The Boeing aircraft, arriving from Venice, Italy, landed “safely” and “taxied to the gate normally”, a United Airlines spokesperson said.
All 221 passengers and 10 crew members were reported unhurt.
New Jersey State Police said the tractor-trailer driver was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
“Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft.
“We will conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation into the incident and our crew has been removed from service as part of the process,” a United Airlines spokesperson added.
Video recorded by witnesses appears to show the plane passing close to the roadway as the collision occurred. A light pole in the footage seems to have broken, with part of it leaning toward the runway.
United confirmed an investigation is underway and said the flight crew has been “removed from service” during the review.
The National Transportation Safety Board also acknowledged the inquiry in a statement posted on X, adding that an investigator was due to arrive on Monday (May 4).
An initial report is expected within 30 days.
The incident follows separate news from the US aviation sector, after another airline halted trading on Saturday (May 2) following 34 years in operation and ceased flights immediately.
Spirit Airlines – recognised for its bright yellow aircraft – shut down after it was unable to secure a $500 million bail out from the Trump administration.
On Friday (May 1), President Trump said his administration had delivered the budget airline a ‘final proposal’ for a taxpayer-funded takeover aimed at keeping it afloat, but negotiations ultimately failed to produce an agreement.
The shutdown is expected to put roughly 17,000 jobs in jeopardy.
The company said in an announcement on its website: “It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately.
“To our Guests: all flights have been canceled, and customer service is no longer available. We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come.”