- United Flight 169 hit a light pole and a bakery truck while approaching Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, 2026.
- The jet landed safely with 221 passengers and 10 crew members unhurt after the collision near Newark’s Turnpike interchange 14.
- Investigators from the FAA and NTSB opened probes, with a preliminary report due in 30 days.
(NEWARK, NEW JERSEY) — United Airlines Flight 169 struck a light pole and a bakery tractor-trailer on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, 2026, then landed safely with 221 passengers and 10 crew members unhurt, authorities and the airline said.
The United flight, a Boeing 767-400ER with tail number N77066, was flying from Venice, identified as VCE, to Newark, identified as EWR. The collision happened at approximately 1:58-2:00 p.m. local time near New Jersey Turnpike interchange 14 in Newark.
After the impact, the aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power. Ground authorities said the tractor-trailer driver, identified as Boardley, suffered cuts to his arm and forearm from broken glass and was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries before being released.
Investigators said the aircraft’s landing gear and underside made contact with the pole while the jet approached the runway threshold. The pole then struck a Jeep on the roadway, and the plane also hit the truck involved in the incident.
That truck belonged to Baker’s Express, which is owned by H&S Family of Bakeries and Schmidt Bakery. It was traveling from Baltimore with bread products for the airport when the collision occurred.
New Jersey State Police responded at 1:58 p.m. and began a preliminary investigation. Their early findings indicated the plane was at the runway threshold when the strike occurred.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the strike at around 2 p.m. and opened its own investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board also launched a probe and expects a preliminary report within 30 days.
United Airlines said the aircraft sustained “minor damage” and maintenance teams were inspecting it. The airline also temporarily removed the crew from service pending a full safety review.
Runway inspections finished after the incident, and normal operations resumed quickly at Newark Liberty International Airport. Port Authority Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority officials inspected the site Sunday evening.
Dashcam and bystander video captured the jet flying low over the roadway before impact. The footage showed debris scattering as the aircraft struck the bakery vehicle, and the truck briefly disappeared from view before the driver escaped.
The images spread quickly because the collision happened over a crowded highway approach to one of the region’s busiest airports. Even so, authorities reported no additional injuries on the ground or aboard the aircraft.
Chuck Paterakis, vice president of transportation for Schmidt Bakery, confirmed the truck’s details. The company vehicle was carrying bread products to the airport after leaving Baltimore.
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 767-400ER, a widebody jet used on long-haul routes. Flight 169 had arrived from Venice and was moments from landing when it struck the pole and the bakery truck near the interchange.
Investigators from federal and state agencies were still examining the incident as of May 4, 2026. Their early timeline placed the collision within a narrow window, about 1:58-2:00 p.m., as the plane descended toward Newark.
The account assembled so far points to an event measured in seconds: a low approach, contact with roadside infrastructure, a hit on a commercial truck, and a safe landing moments later. The next benchmark is the NTSB’s preliminary report, due within 30 days, as investigators work to determine how the aircraft came close enough to strike a pole and injure a tractor-trailer driver below.
