Overview
- United Flight 169 from Venice struck a New Jersey Turnpike light pole and clipped a bakery truck during final approach Sunday afternoon, then landed at Newark with no passenger or crew injuries reported.
- On Saturday evening, Flight 1837 saw a 48-year-old passenger hit a flight attendant and try to force the cockpit door before Port Authority Police detained him on landing, and he was taken for a psychiatric evaluation with no charges detailed.
- The FAA and NTSB opened inquiries into the approach collision, directed United to secure the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, and the airline removed the involved crew from duty during the review.
- Dashcam video from the truck shows the low pass and the moment of impact, and the driver, identified as Warren Boardley, was treated for minor cuts and released from a hospital.
- Because Newark’s approach paths run beside the New Jersey Turnpike, investigators will scrutinize approach altitudes, lighting structures near the highway, and ground-vehicle clearance procedures, with a preliminary NTSB report expected in about 30 days.