The airline confirmed that no passengers or the 10 crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 169 sustained injuries.
New Jersey State Police reported that a landing tire and the underside of the aircraft made contact with a truck, which led to the light pole hitting a Jeep on the highway. The truck driver was hospitalized with minor injuries but has since been released, stated the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration indicated that the Boeing 767 landed safely after it “engaged with a light pole” during its final approach to Newark.
Aircraft landing on one of Newark’s primary runways glide low over several lanes of traffic on the Turnpike, a heavily trafficked section of Interstate 95. The runway starts just a short distance from the highway’s edge.
Officials from the port authority confirmed that an object was struck, and a delivery truck present on the turnpike at the time also sustained damage. The aircraft incurred minor damage, and airport personnel checked the runway for debris, quickly resuming normal operations, according to the port authority.
United mentioned that its maintenance team is assessing the aircraft for damage and that the crew is off duty while a detailed flight safety investigation is underway.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that an investigator would arrive in Newark on Monday and has instructed United to supply both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder for the inquiry.
A preliminary report is anticipated within 30 days, as stated by the NTSB.
