A United Airlines flight, United Flight 169, collided with a light pole while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, 2026, around 2 p.m. The aircraft was arriving from Venice, Italy, carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members. Miraculously, despite the impact, the plane landed safely.
The moment of collision was captured on dashcam video. As the aircraft approached Runway 29, it struck a light pole that damaged a tractor-trailer below. The driver of the truck, Warren Boardley from Baltimore, was hospitalized due to minor injuries caused by broken glass.
After the incident, Chuck Paterakis, an eyewitness, remarked, “Everybody—the driver and everybody on the plane—should be very fortunate.” The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this aircraft collision.
Key facts:
- The flight had 221 passengers and 10 crew members on board.
- The incident occurred as the plane was landing at approximately 2 p.m.
- The FAA is currently investigating the incident.
- Boardley was hospitalized with minor injuries from broken glass.
- The aircraft sustained only minor damage despite the collision.
United Airlines stated that their maintenance team is evaluating the damage to the aircraft and will investigate how this occurred. The focus now shifts to understanding how such an event could happen so close to one of America’s busiest airports.