The Boeing 767 landed safely after the low approach over the New Jersey Turnpike.
NEWARK, NJ — A United Airlines flight arriving from Venice, Italy, struck a light pole and a bakery truck Sunday while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, injuring the truck driver but leaving all passengers and crew unharmed.
The incident brought federal investigators to one of the nation’s busiest air corridors and raised questions about how low the jet was as it crossed the New Jersey Turnpike. United Flight 169, a Boeing 767, had 221 passengers and 10 crew members on board. The plane landed safely, taxied to the gate and was later removed from service for inspection.
The strike happened around 2 p.m. Sunday as the aircraft made its final approach to the airport. The jet was descending over the Turnpike, where traffic passes close to the end of the runway, when part of the landing gear or underside hit a streetlight and the tractor-trailer below, officials said. The pole then struck a Jeep traveling on the highway, according to New Jersey State Police. United said in a statement that its maintenance team was evaluating damage to the aircraft and that the airline would “investigate how this occurred.” The airline said the crew had been removed from service as part of its internal safety review.
The truck was connected to Baltimore-based H&S Family of Bakeries and was carrying bread products toward a company depot in New Jersey. The driver, identified in reports as Warren Boardley, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, including cuts from broken glass, and was later released. Dash camera video from the truck showed the wide-body jet passing low over the roadway moments before impact. A wheel from the aircraft appeared near the driver’s window in the video. Officials did not report injuries to the Jeep driver. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said minor damage was found on the aircraft, and airport workers inspected the runway for debris before normal operations resumed.
Newark Liberty sits beside major highways, rail lines, cargo areas and dense industrial neighborhoods. Planes landing there often pass low over the New Jersey Turnpike, a busy stretch of Interstate 95 that runs along the airport’s edge. The airport serves the New York City region and handles a heavy mix of domestic, international and cargo traffic. The unusual strike drew attention because the aircraft made contact with objects outside the airport fence before reaching the runway. Officials have not said whether weather, approach path, equipment, runway assignment or crew actions played a role. The plane’s altitude, speed and position will be key parts of the federal review.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The NTSB said an investigator was expected to arrive in Newark on Monday and that United had been directed to secure the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. Those devices can show what the crew said, what the aircraft systems recorded and how the flight was being handled in the moments before touchdown. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, though final NTSB findings often take longer. No charges or enforcement actions had been announced as of Monday. United said it would conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation while federal agencies review the evidence.
The scene on the Turnpike showed how close the landing path comes to regular highway traffic. The bakery truck was near an exit when the jet crossed overhead, according to company officials cited in local reports. Video showed the truck shaking hard after impact as glass broke inside the cab. On the airport side, the jet continued to the runway and reached the gate without an emergency evacuation. Passengers and crew were not reported hurt, and the Port Authority said airport operations resumed after inspections. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she was relieved that those involved were safe and called for a detailed investigation into what happened.
As of Monday, the aircraft remained under review, the crew was off duty during United’s internal process and federal investigators were collecting records. The next major milestone is the NTSB’s preliminary report, expected within 30 days.
Author note: Last updated May 4, 2026.