A United Airlines plane clipped a light pole and a tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
United Airlines Flight 169 descended onto the runway at Newark Airport just before 2 p.m. Sunday — and struck a light pole along the turnpike in the process, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
A spokesperson for the airline assured that the Boeing aircraft, which embarked from Venice, Italy, “landed safely” and “taxied to the gate normally” despite the apparent hiccup.
Runway 29, where the plane landed, runs perpendicular to the highway. Landing planes typically fly over the busy turnpike at a low altitude — just feet above passing cars — before touching down.
The New Jersey State Police said that the plane’s landing tire and underside hit the pole and a tractor-trailer. The pole then fell on a Jeep traveling on the turnpike.
The tractor-trailer driver was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
None of the 221 passengers or 10 crew members on the international flight were injured in the collision, the airline said.
The entire flight crew was “removed from service” pending an investigation into the incident, according to the airline.
Wild video captured by witnesses cruising along the turnpike showed the plane gliding precariously close to the road. One light pole appeared to have snapped in half with the remaining lower portion bent towards the runway.
“A Spirit Airline pilot would never have this happen. Fact!” one viewer commented on the clip, which was shared on X.
Spirit Airlines shuttered after 34 years on Saturday and immediately ceased all operations, causing a chaotic domino effect at airports nationwide.
“Newark’s infrastructure finally getting revenge on the airlines for the delays,” another viewer joked.
The crash is still under investigation.
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