Preliminary NTSB Report Identifies Issues in United Airlines Landing Incident
Federal investigators determined that the captain of a United Airlines flight from Venice was operating the aircraft too slowly and at too low an altitude before landing at Newark Liberty International Airport last month.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the United Airlines flight from Venice, Italy, was too slow and low during its landing approach at Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, 2026. As the Boeing 767 descended, it struck a light pole adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike, causing damage to a truck on the road and resulting in minor injuries to the driver, while all 231 passengers aboard the jet were unharmed.
According to the 11-page preliminary report by the NTSB, the flight crew initially planned to land on runway 4R, but changed to runway 29 shortly before touchdown. During the descent, the first officer alerted the captain about the decreasing airspeed, stating, "hey you are slow," followed by an additional warning that they were "still slow and a little low." Although the captain acknowledged hearing the warning about the airspeed, he believed the aircraft was in a safe landing position.
As the plane approached the runway threshold, the crew reported feeling a thump and mild jolt before landing. The jet passed over the turnpike at merely 19 feet above the ground and was subsequently found to have three punctures in its fuselage and a tire with noticeable slash marks. Following the incident, United Airlines reminded its pilots to reference visual glideslope indicators to enhance safety during landing approaches at Newark. A spokesperson for the airline stated there would be no further comments regarding the pilot's status or the NTSB findings. The comprehensive investigation by the NTSB is anticipated to be completed within a year.