Boeing 767-424ER accident near Newark, New Jersey, May 3, 2026
On May 3, 2026 at about 5:50 pm local time, a 2002 Boeing 767-424ER, registered N77066, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newark, New Jersey. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 231 people were on board or involved.
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2026 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 231 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-424ER, built 2002 · all 767-424ERs on the register
- Registration
- N77066 · registry record · serial 29461
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 3, 2026, about 13:50 eastern daylight time (EDT), United Airlines flight 169, Boeing B767-424ER, N77066, struck a light pole on the New Jersey turnpike while on final approach to runway 29 at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey. Debris from the light pole subsequently impacted a tractor-trailer traveling southbound on the New Jersey turnpike. The airplane landed and taxied to the gate without further incident. The 3 flight crew members, 8 cabin crew members and 220 passengers deplaned at the gate without any injury. The driver of the tractor-trailer sustained minor injuries. The damage to the airplane was substantial. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 as a scheduled international passenger flight from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), Venice, Italy to EWR. As part of the investigative process, the NTSB invited qualified parties to participate in the investigation. These included the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Airlines, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and the Boeing Company. An operations group was formed, and the accident flight crew were interviewed. The flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were shipped to NTSB headquarters for download by the Research and Engineering Recorders Lab. Both recorders were downloaded successfully and a CVR group was formed. A vehicle performance specialist reviewed data from the FDR, CVR, Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B), and radar, along with security video. The ground proximity warning computer was also shipped to NTSB headquarters and will be downloaded at the manufacturer at a later date. Recovered pieces of the struck light pole were collected. Crew Experience The flight times for the 3 flight crew members were as follows: the captain had 2,724 hours in the B757 and B767 with 378 hours as captain. The first officer had 1,958 hours and the relief officer (for the international flight) had 853 hours in the B757 and B767. Total time with United; the captain had 16,385 hours with 5,205.5 as captain and 11,179.5 as first officer, the first office had 1,958 hours, and the relief officer had 1,075 hours. Note: the flight crew members’ flight time is their time at United and does not include their flight time before being hired at United. History of Flight The flight crew was originally scheduled to depart May 1st in a Boeing 757-200 from EWR, fl
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N77066 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA26FA194.