A United Airlines flight collided with a bakery truck and knocked over a light pole while crossing over a crowded New Jersey highway as it came in to land.

Flight UA169, which was arriving into the Garden State after traveling from Venice, Italy, hit the vehicle on approach into Newark International Airport on Sunday.

Shocking footage has since emerged of the jet striking a bakery van as it glided over the New Jersey Turnpike.

Remarkably the driver of the vehicle, who disappeared amongst the debris in the harrowing clip, managed to escape without any serious injury.

Chuck Paterakis, senior VP of Transportation & Logistics at H&S Bakery, told KOMO News that the wheel of the plane hit the truck.

He said: 'To me, that everybody on that plane, everybody and the driver, God was looking after them, there's no doubt if we did that scenario again, I don't know if anybody could've survived that.'

Paterakis said the driver attended hospital on Sunday night but only sustained small cuts, he was later released.

The passenger jet was carrying 221 people onboard as well as a crew of ten when it collided with the truck just before 2pm.

In a statement, United made no mention of the truck but instead mentioned a light pole that also came into contact with the jet.

'Upon its final approach into Newark International Airport, United flight 169 came into contact with a light pole.

'The aircraft landed safely, taxied to the gate normally and no passengers or crew were injured.

'Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft and we will investigate how this occurred', the firm said.