United Airlines Incident at Newark Airport: NTSB Preliminary Findings

In 2023, United Airlines aircraft were seen at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the captain of a United Airlines flight from Venice, Italy was operating the aircraft too slow and too low prior to landing last month at Newark Liberty International Airport. The Boeing 767 hit a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike near the runway, causing damage to a tractor-trailer. The truck driver sustained minor injuries. Remarkably, no injuries were reported among the 231 passengers and crew members on the flight.

Dashcam footage captured the dramatic moment the aircraft flew over the truck. The video showed the landing gear passing just above the truck’s cab, followed by the sound of the light pole striking the vehicle.

VIDEO: I just obtained this dash cam video from H&S Bakery. It shows the moment a United Airlines plane crashes into his driver’s side window on the NJ Turnpike near Newark Liberty.— Tara Lynch (@thetaralynch) May 4, 2026

The NTSB’s 11-page preliminary report on the May 3, 2026 accident noted that the flight was “normal until the descent.” The initial plan was to land on runway 4R, but the crew had to switch to two different runways, ultimately landing on runway 29. The captain was controlling the aircraft while the first officer monitored the instruments during the approach, which was marked by gusty winds. During the descent, the airspeed started to drop. The first officer reported saying, “hey you are slow,” followed soon after by “you are still slow and a little low.” Although the captain acknowledged hearing “airspeed slow,” he believed the plane was in a safe landing position.

As the jet approached the runway threshold, the captain “heard a thump” just before touching down, and the first officer felt a “mild jolt.” The aircraft crossed over the turnpike at 19 feet above the ground. After parking at the gate, the plane’s fuselage was found to have three punctures, and one tire on the landing gear showed “slash marks.” The NTSB noted that United Airlines reminded its pilots landing at Newark to use visual glideslope indicators for safe clearance.

A United spokesperson told NPR that they had no further comments regarding the NTSB report or the captain’s status. The final investigation by the NTSB is anticipated to be completed within a year.