NTSB investigates United Plane 169 after Newark light pole strike
The NTSB began investigating after a United plane, Flight 169 from Venice, Italy, struck a light pole during its landing approach to Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday around 2 p.m. The Boeing 767 landed safely, but the impact sent debris across the New Jersey Turnpike and damaged a truck and a Jeep.
Authorities said the event was classified as an accident because of the extent of damage to the airplane. Investigators arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday to interview the flight crew and gather information from both the plane and the truck.
Sean Duffy on Newark
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, "This is unacceptable. We have really well-trained pilots. This should never happen in America, but here's what happens though, an incident like this, the big and small incidents, we look at an study and learn from," His comments came as federal investigators moved onto the scene and United said it would begin its own safety review.
United said, "We will conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation into the incident and our crew has been removed from service as part of the process." The airline said there were 221 passengers and 10 crew members on the Boeing 767, and that no one aboard was hurt.
New Jersey Turnpike damage
A truck driver for H&S Family of Bakeries was seen on video driving on the turnpike when the aircraft made impact. Exclusive photos showed a punctured hole in the cab of the tractor-trailer, and its windshield was shattered but not destroyed. The truck driver pulled over safely and was taken to the hospital because he was cut by shattered glass.
A preliminary New Jersey State Police investigation said a landing tire and the underside of the plane struck a pole and the top of the tractor-trailer. It also said the pole then struck a Jeep also traveling on the turnpike. It was not clear whether the light pole or the tire from the plane struck the truck.
NTSB investigation steps
The NTSB was looking at the weather, air traffic control, airline operations and human performance. Steve Ganyard, an aviation expert and ABC News contributor, said, "This aircraft was literally inches from disaster" and "Clearly, we saw [the crew] fighting that altitude as they come in."
The next step is the board's review of the flight crew interviews, the physical damage on the plane and vehicles, and the approach conditions that put the aircraft over the turnpike during landing.
