A routine Sunday afternoon turned into pure chaos when a commercial jet came dangerously close to disaster — and it was all caught on camera.
Shocking dashcam footage shows the terrifying moment a United Airlines plane clipped a vehicle while descending toward Newark Liberty International Airport, leaving drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike stunned and scrambling.
Dashcam footage shows a truck being struck as a United Airlines flight from Italy approached the runway at Newark Airport on Sunday.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 4, 2026
Based on the preliminary investigation, New Jersey State Police said that "the underside of the plane collided with a pole and a tractor-trailer."… pic.twitter.com/m9NF4TepFN
The jaw-dropping incident unfolded just before 2 p.m., as the aircraft approached its final landing. According to officials, the plane first struck a light pole — but that was only the beginning.
In a scene that sounds almost unbelievable, the underside of the jet then slammed into a passing tractor-trailer. Even more shocking, the plane’s landing gear tires reportedly tore straight through the truck’s window and windshield.
Miraculously, the driver survived.
Authorities say the man suffered cuts to his arm and hand from shattered glass. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, treated, and later released — an outcome many are calling incredibly lucky given the circumstances.
Even more astonishing: every single passenger and crew member on board the plane walked away without injury.
Investigators are now racing to figure out how something this dangerous could happen. Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have launched formal probes into the near-catastrophe.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill addressed the incident, expressing relief that the situation didn’t turn deadly.
“I’m grateful the aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew are unharmed,” she said, noting early reports suggest the truck was caught in the chaos on the Turnpike.
For now, one thing is clear: what could have been a mass tragedy instead ended in a narrow escape — but left behind a chilling reminder of how quickly things can spiral out of control at 30,000 feet… or just above the highway.
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Due to wind the pilots were directed to use that short runway which planes need every foot of causing them to get as low as possible. Slight misjudgment, near tragedy. I’d like pic’s of pilots, likely DEI hires.
Or even ILLEGALS…