United Airlines Boeing 767 Strikes Truck and Light Pole on Approach to Newark Airport

United Airlines Flight Clips Truck and Streetlight Near Newark Airport

A United Airlines Boeing 767 struck a streetlight and a tractor-trailer on Sunday. The incident happened as the plane approached Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The truck driver sustained minor injuries from broken glass. All 221 passengers and 10 crew members on board landed safely.

United Flight 169 had arrived from Venice, Italy. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft was travelling at more than 160 miles per hour. It crossed over the New Jersey Turnpike just outside the airport. The plane clipped a light pole and the top of the tractor-trailer during its final approach.

New Jersey State Police confirmed the collision in a formal statement. A preliminary investigation revealed a tire from the plane’s landing gear struck the pole and the truck. The pole then struck a nearby Jeep, police said. The tractor-trailer driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received hospital treatment.

Truck Driver Warren Boardley Identified

The truck driver, Warren Boardley of Baltimore, was heading north on the turnpike. He was delivering bread products to a Newark airport depot at the time. Chuck Paterakis, senior vice president of transportation for Schmidt Bakery, confirmed these details. Paterakis also co-owns H&S Family of Bakeries.

Paterakis told reporters that Boardley experienced the plane’s tires brushing the top of the tractor. Boardley sustained cuts to his arm and forearm from broken glass. He did not suffer serious injuries. Authorities confirmed the hospital later released him.

Paterakis confirmed that the trailer itself sustained no damage. The bread products inside also remained untouched. He expressed relief about the overall outcome. “Everybody, the driver and everybody on the plane, should be very fortunate,” Paterakis said.

Dashcam footage from the truck captured the terrifying moment of impact. The video shows the sound of the plane’s engines growing louder. Suddenly, the landing gear tires struck the truck. Glass flew everywhere as the vehicle shook violently.

Eyewitness Describes the Dramatic Scene

Patrick Oyulu was driving on the highway when he saw the low-flying plane. He told reporters he felt a huge gust of wind pass over him. “It was just coming directly in front of the truck,” Oyulu said. He added that he saw smoke and debris after the impact.

Oyulu described the truck appearing to attempt an evasive manoeuvre. He said the vehicle appeared cornered with nowhere to go. The dramatic dashcam footage later supported his account. Multiple witnesses confirmed the plane flew dangerously low over the busy highway.

The Port Authority Police Department and New Jersey State Police both responded to the scene. Airport officials conducted runway inspections immediately after the incident. Normal airport operations resumed quickly following those checks. Authorities treated the situation as a serious safety event.

United Airlines Removes Crew From Service

United Airlines issued a formal statement addressing the incident. The airline confirmed the aircraft taxied to the gate normally after landing. United also confirmed the plane sustained only minor damage. The airline’s maintenance team began evaluating the aircraft immediately.

United Airlines removed the crew from service as part of standard safety protocol. The airline pledged to launch a thorough flight safety investigation. “Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft,” the statement said. The airline also committed to investigating how the incident occurred.

Air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC.net revealed something significant. The pilots and controllers appeared unaware the plane had struck the light pole. Controllers gave the 767 normal instructions to taxi to the gate. Other aircraft continued landing on the same runway during this time.

Air traffic controllers later reported a hole in the side of the airplane. They flagged this to an operations vehicle inspecting the runway. This discovery came approximately half an hour after the incident. The information emerged from recordings of air traffic communications.

Federal Investigators Launch Formal Inquiry

The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched an investigator to the scene. The NTSB also ordered United Airlines to preserve key flight records. Investigators demanded access to both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it was also investigating the incident.

The NTSB and FAA routinely investigate aviation incidents of this nature. Investigators will examine the flight path and the plane’s altitude data. The cockpit recordings may reveal what the crew knew during the approach. The investigation could take weeks or months to conclude.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill publicly responded to the incident. She expressed relief that the aircraft landed safely. She also confirmed that all passengers and crew remained unharmed. Her statement acknowledged the seriousness of the close call.

Baker’s Express Truck Was on a Routine Delivery

The tractor-trailer involved in the collision belonged to Baker’s Express. Paterakis confirmed the truck was on a routine delivery run. The vehicle was heading to a Newark airport depot with bread products. It was operating a completely normal commercial delivery route.

The incident raised immediate questions about flight path safety near the turnpike. The New Jersey Turnpike runs close to the airport’s active runways. Aircraft routinely cross over the highway during landing approaches. Sunday’s collision highlighted the potential dangers of that proximity.

Airport officials moved quickly to reassure travellers after the incident. They confirmed that runway inspections found no further hazards. Normal flight operations resumed at Newark Liberty International Airport. Investigators will now determine what caused the unusually low approach.

The Boeing 767 involved in the incident is a wide-body commercial aircraft. United Airlines operates the type on long-haul international routes. The Venice-to-Newark flight covers a significant transatlantic distance. Investigators will scrutinise the entire flight’s data as part of the inquiry.