The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report regarding a United Airlines flight’s landing issue at Newark Liberty International Airport last month. The flight originated from Venice, Italy, and involved a Boeing 767 aircraft.
According to the NTSB, the captain of the flight was operating the aircraft at an unsafe speed and altitude during the final approach. As the jet approached the runway, it struck a light pole situated on the New Jersey Turnpike next to the runway, resulting in damage to a tractor-trailer truck. The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries, but all 231 passengers on the plane were unharmed.
A dashcam video captured the incident, showing the plane narrowly missing the truck’s cab before the light pole collided with the vehicle. The video was shared on social media by a journalist, Tara Lynch.
The NTSB report detailed that the flight proceeded normally until the descent phase. Initially, the crew aimed to land on runway 4R, but the landing was shifted to another runway, and ultimately to runway 29. The captain was controlling the aircraft while the first officer monitored the flight instruments amid gusty conditions.
During the approach, the airspeed started to decrease. The first officer warned the captain, saying, “hey you are slow,” followed by further caution that the speed and altitude were inadequate. Despite the warnings, the captain believed the aircraft was in a safe landing position.
Before landing, both pilots felt an unusual sensation, described as a thump and a mild jolt. The aircraft crossed over the turnpike at an altitude of 19 feet. After reaching the gate, ground crews identified three punctures on the fuselage and “slash marks” on a tire.
United Airlines reminded its pilots to utilize the visual glideslope indicators at Newark Airport for safe landing clearance following the incident. A spokesperson from United did not provide any information regarding the captain’s current status.
The NTSB’s complete investigation is expected to be finalized within a year.