An inquiry has been initiated following an incident where a Boeing 767 aircraft struck a street light while landing at a bustling airport in the United States. The United Airlines Boeing 767 made contact with a street light on the New Jersey Turnpike during its final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Sunday afternoon.
Federal authorities have launched an investigation, with personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) examining the incident that occurred shortly before the flight from Italy touched down. Video footage captured from a moving vehicle on the turnpike shows shocked bystanders reacting to the collision.
Despite the impact, United Flight 169, a Boeing 767-400 arriving from Venice with 221 passengers and 10 crew members on board, landed safely around 2 pm local time without any injuries reported. The aircraft, registered as N77066, clipped the street light as it was descending towards Newark airport, which is situated adjacent to the heavily trafficked New Jersey Turnpike, according to AirLive.
Questions have been raised regarding the aircraft’s proximity to the ground and public structures during its descent, prompting concerns about its altitude in the final stages of landing. The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are swiftly investigating the cause of this low-altitude incident.
An NTSB lead investigator is scheduled to arrive at Newark on Monday, while United Airlines has been instructed to secure the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) for immediate analysis. A preliminary report outlining the details of the incident is anticipated to be released within 30 days.
United Airlines issued a statement acknowledging the incident, stating that during its final approach to Newark International Airport, Flight 169 made contact with a light pole. The aircraft landed safely, proceeded to the gate as usual, and no passengers or crew sustained any injuries. The airline’s maintenance team is assessing the aircraft’s damage and will conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
