A United Airlines pilot reported hearing a ‘thump’ while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to a recently revealed report. This event led to the plane hitting a light pole, which then crashed onto a tractor-trailer, slightly injuring the truck’s driver.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s report noted that while landing, the jet’s co-pilot cautioned the pilot that the aircraft was ‘slow and a little low’. The Boeing 767, carrying 220 passengers from Venice, was redirected to land into the wind on a runway starting west of the New Jersey Turnpike. The plane struck a 15-foot-tall pole positioned on the turnpike’s southbound side.
No passengers or crew members were harmed during the incident, although the airplane incurred considerable damage. The report detailed three punctures to its fuselage, with one measuring almost four feet, and slash marks on a left-side landing gear tire.
The truck, which was transporting bread and rolls, suffered significant damage, including large holes in its windshield and a major puncture in its trailer. The report added, ‘There was no evidence of tire marks on either the tractor cab or trailer.’
The truck driver, identified as Warren Boardley, received minor injuries and was promptly released from the hospital. Northeast Foods of Baltimore, Mr. Boardley’s employer, did not provide any comment regarding the incident. His attorney, J. Wyndal Gordon, also remained unavailable for comment.