What's Going To Be Done About Newark Airport's Tricky Runway 29?
One Mile at a Time • • business
Key Points:
- A United Airlines Boeing 767 struck a truck and light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike while on final approach to Newark Airport’s runway 29, with no serious injuries reported.
- Runway 29 at Newark is only 6,725 feet long, which is near the minimum length required for wide-body aircraft, leading pilots to land near the runway’s start and increasing risk.
- The runway lacks an Instrument Landing System (ILS) and relies on RNAV approaches that transition to visual segments at about 490 feet, adding difficulty and reducing safety margins.
- The proximity of an elevated interstate adjacent to the runway’s approach end is considered a hazardous design, with multiple videos showing very low approaches over the highway.
- Safety experts suggest investigating restrictions on wide-body aircraft landings on runway 29, though closing the interstate is viewed as impractical, balancing operational efficiency with safety concerns.
