The copilot of a United Airlines flight that hit a light pole while landing at a New Jersey airport last month recognized the plane was approaching too low. However, he informed investigators he realized it too late to call for an aborted landing, according to a new report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Crew members on the May 3 flight from Venice, Italy, recollected hearing a loud ‘thump’ and sensing a ‘mild jolt’ just before touching down at Newark Liberty International Airport. The initial NTSB report details the crew’s experiences inside the plane but does not pinpoint a specific reason for the low approach nor make recommendations to prevent such occurrences. The final report is expected next year.
According to the report, debris from the light pole struck a truck traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike; earlier law enforcement accounts incorrectly suggested the plane had hit the bakery truck, causing minor injuries to the driver. The truck’s windshield was damaged, and its trailer punctured, with no traces of tire marks on the tractor cab or trailer.
The Boeing 767 managed a safe landing despite sustaining ‘substantial’ damage to its fuselage, and evidence showed slash marks on one of its landing tires. Fortunately, none of the over 200 passengers onboard were injured. Regular drivers near the Newark airport often witness planes approaching low as they cross Interstate 95. Dashboard camera footage from the truck captured the impact, showing the driver singing before noticing the sound of the airplane’s engines and the plane passing by.
The report implies that the pilot intentionally opted for a low flight path, which was below the established approach path, according to D. Blake Stringer, director at The Ohio State University’s Center for Aviation Studies. ‘It’s not surprising that the airplane clipped infrastructure near the runway,’ he noted, emphasizing pilots should steepen their descent angle when unable to follow the intended flight path.
Steve Arroyo, a retired United Airlines captain and safety specialist, pointed out the pilots appeared unprepared for the specific landing requirements of the runway, though they had the option for more time on approach. ‘They were below where they should have been before crossing the New Jersey Turnpike,’ he commented. The runway assignment changed three times before the plane ultimately landed on one of the airport’s shortest runways, often employed during strong winds, present that day.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti noted the strong winds posed challenges for the pilot. Winds were gusting up to 31 mph (50 kph) according to air traffic control communications. Nearing landing, the pilot reportedly ‘got fast’ while turning into the headwind but pulled back the power levers to counteract wind gusts that generated ‘moderate turbulence.’
United Airlines has opted not to remark on the situation.
Report collaboration by Josh Funk from Omaha.