Glenn Roeder's beleaguered side dominated the match - particularly the first half - but squandered chances galore and paid the penalty.
This latest point makes it just eight from their opening ten games, and these are worrying times for Newcastle, who are now 16th - just three points ahead of basement boys Charlton.
Skipper Scott Parker returned against his former club after being rested for the 3-0 midweek Carling Cup win over Portsmouth.
Stephen Carr made his 350th career appearance, but there was no 22nd birthday celebration for £10million striker Obafemi Martins, who was ruled out with a groin strain.
Newcastle were also without the injured Emre, Kieron Dyer - who sustained an eye injury in training on Friday - and Shola Ameobi.
Charlton arrived at St James' Park having dropped all but four of 54 points on the road in just over a year and winless in their previous 18 away games.
However, they do now hold an unbeaten five-match run against United, including three successive draws on Tyneside.
Newcastle controlled the first half, but were unable to capitalise on their superiority in terms of goals - but had plenty of chances.
Parker launched an early shot that Scott Carson spilled. The goalkeeper recovered quickly to bravely win possession as he was slammed into by Giuseppe Rossi, who was well within his rights to go for the loose ball.
Parker then lashed a 25-yarder across Carson and just wide, before Damien Duff got in the way of a goalbound Rossi effort that deflected wide.
There were howls of protests after 23 minutes when Duff went clear and went down in the box under pressure from Souleymane Diawara, but referee Mike Dean brushed all protests aside.
Charlton must have known it was their day when the woodwork came to the rescue after 38 minutes when Duff's shot from the right was cleverly deflected by Rossi, only for the ball to deflect to safety off the bar.
Charles N'Zogbia then had a shot blocked by Carson and Diawara came to the rescue just as Rossi was about to pull the trigger.
Duff then had five good chances in the opening 12 minutes of the second half but invariably they fell to his weaker right foot.
Parker lashed a 30 yarder just wide and a Rossi free-kick just cleared the bar.
Charlton increased in confidence and a Dennis Rommedahl cross after 81 minutes saw substitute Bryan Hughes cut in on the blindside and curl a shot just wide of the upright.
It was almost a winner, but Charlton left happy with a point and three successive clean sheets.