United Airlines Flight 169 from Venice, Italy to Newark, New Jersey struck a truck on the highway while landing on May 3rd 2026. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has defined this as an accident due to the substantial damage incurred to the aircraft.
Just prior to the accident, the aircraft switched to the shorter Runway 29 and conducted a visual approach due to wind conditions. Winds were reported to be 320 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 24 knots.
The aircraft involved
The Boeing 767-400 (registration N77066) is 23 years old and was originally delivered to Continental Airlines in 2003. United Airlines acquired the aircraft through its merger with Continental in 2010. Boeing built just 38 of the -400 before ending production in 2014.
According to AirNavradar, in the 12 months prior to the accident, N77066 logged 4,693 flight hours across 589 flights. Its daily utilisation averaged 14.9 hours, making it the 21st most utilised 767-400 worldwide.
United Airlines plans to retire all its 767s by the end of the decade. Its 45 Airbus A350-900s and 145 Boeing 787-9s on order will replace the type on long-haul routes.
Recurring incidents and accidents at United Airlines
Despite having a Seven Star safety rating according to AirlineRatings.com, United Airlines is subject to several high-profile incidents and accidents. Back in March 2024, the pattern drew regulatory attention with the FAA launching a safety review of United Airlines following several incidents across a single month.
In an open letter to customers, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby acknowledged the events. He pledged additional pilot training and centralised maintenance technical curricula.
The subsequent FAA audit found no significant safety issues within the airline’s operations and it was for these reasons that United retained its seven star safety rating.
Below is a list of the main incidents that have occurred since 2024.
Dropped components and panels
March 7, 2024: Boeing 777-200 (UA35) to Osaka Kansai dropped a main wheel on departure from San Francisco
March 15, 2024: Boeing 737-800 (UA433) from San Francisco to Medford landed missing an external panel
April 10, 2024: Boeing 737-800 (UA1960) from Los Angeles to Las Vegas landed with a panel missing in flight
June 20, 2024: Airbus A320 (UA325) from Hartford to Denver dropped engine parts on departure
July 8, 2024: Boeing 757-200 (UA1001) from Los Angeles to Denver dropped a main wheel on departure
August 24, 2024: Boeing 737-900 (UA759) from Denver to Seattle lost a nose tyre on departure
January 18, 2026: Airbus A321neo (UA2323) from Chicago O'Hare to Orlando dropped a nose wheel on touchdown
Runway incidents, incursions and excursions
March 8, 2024: Boeing 737 MAX (UA2477) from Memphis to Houston Intercontinental suffered a runway excursion and main gear collapse
April 26, 2024: Boeing 737-9 MAX (UA1929) from Newark to Orlando had a runway incursion which forced a rejected takeoff
May 13, 2025: Airbus A320 (UA1152) from San Francisco to Dallas/Fort Worth turned the wrong way on climb out resulting in a near collision
March 19, 2026: Boeing 737-700 (UA1394) from Chicago O'Hare to San Antonio lined up with the runway edge line instead of the centreline
May 3, 2026: Boeing 767-400 (UA169) from Venice struck a light pole and truck on approach to Newark
Engine failures and shutdowns
May 14, 2024: Boeing 787-9 (UA28) from Singapore to San Francisco suffered an uncontained engine failure shortly after takeoff. NTSB found a fatigue crack in the high-pressure turbine
May 26, 2025: Boeing 777-200 (UA889) from Beijing to San Francisco performed a rejected takeoff due to an engine fire
March 2, 2026: Boeing 787-9 (UA2127) to Newark turned back to Los Angeles after departure due to an engine fire
December 13, 2025: Boeing 777-200 (UA803) from Washington Dulles to Tokyo Haneda had an engine shut down in flight
READ: Should passengers who take bags in an evacuation be banned?
United Airlines is a Seven Star safety rated airline
AirlineRatings.com rates United Airlines as a Seven Star safety rated airline. The airline has not had a fatal crash in over three decades, is IOSA registered and permitted to fly within and over the EU. With a fleet of 1,053 aircraft, the airline operates more flights than any other airline. AirlineRatings.com analysis recorded 118 incidents through 2024 and 2025, equating to roughly 0.11 incidents per aircraft.
United Airlines maintains a Safety Management System (SMS) that focuses on proactive risk management. All pilots undergo recurrent simulator training that exceeds the FAA’s minimum requirements.
The airline has been approached to participate in AirlineRatings on board cabin safety audits but has declined.
Suggested read: World’s safest airlines 2026
What the pattern means
The Newark accident is the latest in a string of high-profile events. Investigators will determine if the wind direction, shorter runway or aircraft performance are factors in what caused the collision.
United Airlines operates more aircraft and flights than any other airline. Larger operations naturally generate larger incident and accident numbers. While the airline holds a Seven Star safety rating, the recurrence of dropped components, runway incidents and engine failures stands out.
Currently, the Newark incident does not change United Airlines’ safety rating, but it does add another high-profile event to a list that has already caught regulators’ attention. Future operational performance will reveal whether the measures introduced in 2024 are working.
AirlineRatings.com will continue to monitor the investigation and provide updates as findings emerge.
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