Driver on N.J. Turnpike hurt as United plane hits pole on approach to Newark airport
A United Airlines plane hit a light pole during its final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport, injuring a driver on the New Jersey Turnpike and causing damage to the aircraft, officials said Sunday.
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Flight UA169, a Boeing 767 carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members, “struck an object over the southbound New Jersey Turnpike, causing damage to a light post and a tractor trailer traveling south on the turnpike,” the Port Authority Police Department said.
A source familiar with the situation confirmed a piece of the light pole struck the vehicle. The driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and has since been released, police said.
The flight originated from Venice, Italy, and landed around 2 p.m., the department said. The aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate normally, with no injuries reported on board, a United Airlines spokesperson said.
In dashcam video shared with NBC News, a loud whizzing sound can be heard before glass breaks as a piece of the light pole hit the truck while the driver was traveling on the turnpike.
Chuck Paterakis, who oversees transportation for Schmidt Bakery, said the driver was transporting products from the company when the incident occurred.
Paterakis said the driver’s injuries included glass in his arm and hand.
“It’s a miracle,” Paterakis told NBC News. “It could have been traumatically worse.”
Port Authority police said the plane sustained minor damage, and United said its maintenance team was evaluating 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,” the airline said.
Airport staff inspected the runway for debris after the incident, and normal operations at Newark “quickly resumed,” Port Authority police said.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board confirmed they are investigating.
An NTSB investigator is scheduled to arrive in Newark on Monday, and the agency directed United Airlines to provide both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.
The NTSB said a preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
