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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn’t mince words this week after a United Boeing 767 came in so low at Newark Liberty Airport that it clipped a light pole and appeared to strike a bakery delivery truck on the New Jersey Turnpike. With 221 passengers aboard, a lucky safe landing, and one truck driver suffering only minor injuries, the video still looks like a near‑miss from a disaster movie. Duffy called it “unacceptable” and said, plainly, “This should never happen in America.”
What happened at Newark Liberty Airport
United Flight 169, arriving from Venice, dropped low on final approach to Runway 29 and contacted a light pole in the Turnpike median. Dashcam footage showed damage to the truck’s windshield and to the airplane’s belly and tires, and crews later found the pole bent or knocked over. The plane landed and taxiied to the gate, passengers were unharmed, and the truck driver was treated for minor cuts. The FAA and the NTSB have opened investigations into the event.
Duffy’s blunt message: study, learn, and act
Secretary Duffy used the moment to demand answers and to promise action. He reminded viewers that America has the safest skies because authorities study each incident and make changes. That matters. His words were simple and sharp: officials will review cockpit voice and flight data recorders, interview the crew, and work with United, the FAA, and the Port Authority to figure out what went wrong.
Key questions investigators must answer
The NTSB and FAA will need to determine why the aircraft was so low on final approach: Was it an altimeter or instrumentation issue? Were approach briefings and air traffic control clear? Was pilot procedure followed? Investigators have already requested the cockpit voice recorder and flight data, and United has taken the crew out of service as part of the probe. The public deserves a quick but thorough preliminary report and then real fixes if protocols or infrastructure failed.
Bottom line: tough words need real follow‑through
It’s good that the Secretary of Transportation called this “unacceptable.” But stern words must turn into concrete changes — not press soundbites. We should demand transparent NTSB findings, swift FAA action if procedures or equipment failed, and answers from the Port Authority about runway approaches over the Turnpike. If America is going to keep claiming the safest skies, that safety can’t be only a talking point. It must be backed by real oversight, real fixes, and a refusal to let near‑disasters become headlines again.
