A United Airlines flight came dangerously close to disaster Sunday when it struck a light pole during its final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport, sending debris raining down on vehicles traveling the New Jersey Turnpike below. Dashcam footage captured the terrifying moment from a bakery truck driver’s perspective as the massive aircraft flew directly overhead.
Shocking Dashcam Footage Reveals Close Call
The dramatic video, obtained from H&S Bakery’s senior vice president Chuck Paterakis, shows United flight UA169 descending toward the runway around 2 p.m. when its underside collided with a highway light pole. The impact sent debris crashing onto a Schmidt Bakery delivery truck traveling on the turnpike. The driver escaped serious injury, but the footage reveals just how close this incident came to becoming a major catastrophe involving both air and ground transportation.
Multiple Vehicles Damaged in Incident
Port Authority officials confirmed a tractor-trailer sustained damage during the incident. According to preliminary reports from the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft’s landing tire and underside struck both the light pole and the tractor-trailer. The collision caused the pole to strike a separate Jeep traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike. The tractor-trailer driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. All passengers and crew aboard the United flight landed safely without injury.
Investigation Underway Into Near-Miss
Governor Mikie Sherrill addressed the incident, expressing gratitude that the aircraft landed safely and all aboard remained unharmed. The FAA has launched an investigation to determine how a commercial airliner on final approach descended low enough to strike ground-level infrastructure. United Airlines confirmed the contact with the light pole and stated the company is conducting its own internal investigation. The crash remains under active investigation, with authorities working to piece together exactly what went wrong during the aircraft’s descent. No additional information has been released regarding potential mechanical issues or pilot error.
