A United Boeing 767 that struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike while approaching Newark last month was coming in slow and was only about 19 feet above ground level when it crossed the middle of the highway, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
The incident made headlines in early May when video of the airplane appearing to strike the top of a tractor-trailer on the turnpike was widely shared on social media. The NTSB launched an investigation, with United, the Air Line Pilots Association, Boeing, and the FAA all participating.
Contrary to reporting at the time, NTSB investigators found no physical evidence of the aircraft’s landing gear directly striking the tractor-trailer. Instead, it appears that the falling light pole hit the truck, causing the damage seen in the video, as well as minor injuries to the driver.
United Flight 169 was arriving at Newark from Venice, Italy, on May 3 when it was instructed to land on Runway 29.
The pilot flying told the NTSB that he “got fast” while turning the airplane into a headwind and pulled the power levers back to compensate. As the 767 descended, airspeed decayed, and the first officer advised that the airplane was “slow,” and later, “still slow and a little low.” The pilot monitoring said that, while he thought the aircraft was low, he didn’t process the information fast enough to verbalize a call for a go-around.
Several members of the flight crew recalled an audible thump as they neared and went over the airport’s boundary. The flight landed safely at Newark, and there were no reports of injuries to crew members or passengers.
A graphic produced by the NTSB shows the 767 was about 19 feet AGL when it passed over the middle of the New Jersey Turnpike.
Officials said that United issued safety reminders and guidance to pilots about the approach to Runway 29 after the incident.
The NTSB is continuing to investigate.
