United flight landing at Newark strikes light pole, truck on NJ Turnpike

Local News United flight landing at Newark Liberty Airport strikes light pole, truck on New Jersey Turnpike, officials say By Jeff Capellini Jeff Capellini Digital Producer, CBS New York Jeff Capellini has been digital producer at CBS New York for 20 years. He previously worked for The Associated Press and several newspapers. Read Full Bio Jeff Capellini Updated on: May 3, 2026 / 8:22 PM EDT / CBS New York Add CBS News on Google An investigation is underway after a United Airlines plane struck a light pole and a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike as it was coming in for a landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, officials 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. New Jersey State Police said a preliminary investigation indicated a tire from the plane's landing gear and "the underside of the plane" hit both the pole and the tractor-trailer. The pole also struck a Jeep traveling on the turnpike, New Jersey State Police said. The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident. "I'm grateful the aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew are unharmed," Gov. Mikie Sherrill wrote, in part, on social media. Airport staff inspected the runway for debris and normal operations were quickly resumed, the Port Authority added. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into Sunday's incident. Please stay with CBS News New York for more on this developing story. More from CBS News Passenger detained at Newark Airport after altercation on United Airlines flight, police say