Plane Clips Light Pole Before Landing at Newark Airport

A recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that a United Airlines pilot heard a “thump” shortly before landing at Newark Liberty International Airport. The incident involved the airplane clipping a light pole, leading to the pole crashing onto a tractor-trailer and injuring the driver.

The co-pilot warned the pilot about the plane’s speed and altitude as they descended over the New Jersey Turnpike on a gusty day. The Boeing 767, with 220 passengers on board from Venice, redirected to land into the wind on a runway starting just west of the turnpike. The 15-foot pole hit by the plane was located on the southbound side of the turnpike.

No injuries were reported among passengers or the 11 crew members. However, the plane endured significant damage, with three punctures in its fuselage, one nearly four feet long. Investigators also noted slash marks on a tire of the left landing gear.

The truck, tasked with transporting bread and rolls, suffered a punctured windshield and trailer. Fortunately, there was no evidence of tire marks on the tractor cab or trailer, according to the report.

Driver Warren Boardley was hospitalized with minor injuries and later released. His employer, Northeast Foods, and his lawyer, J. Wyndal Gordon, did not comment on the incident.