NTSB Preliminary: United 767 Struck Light Pole on Newark Approach
Repeated runway reassignments, gusty winds, and a short runway compressed the approach briefing. Accurate but unheeded callouts underscore that stable-approach criteria and go-around discipline are the last line of defense when the plan keeps changing on descent.
The NTSB published its preliminary report on United Flight 169, a Boeing 767-424ER (N77066) arriving from Venice that struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike during final approach to Newark (EWR) on May 3, 2026. The flight was reassigned runway 4R, then 22L, then runway 29 in strong winds. The first officer, pilot monitoring, recalled stating 'hey you are slow,' then 'you are still slow and a little low.' The aircraft crossed the turnpike about 19 feet above the ground and struck a 15-foot pole just before touchdown, sustaining three punctures to the lower left aft fuselage. The 231 occupants were uninjured; a truck driver sustained minor injuries. No probable cause was stated.