Small Plane Flips Over at California Airport After Being Hit by Jet Blast
Two people escaped injury when a Cessna 172 was overturned by the engine exhaust of a United Airlines Boeing 737 at John Wayne Airport.
A small aircraft carrying a pilot and a student flipped entirely onto its roof over the weekend at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, after being struck by powerful engine exhaust from a commercial airliner. The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the incident occurred as United Airlines Flight 2611 prepared for a scheduled flight to Chicago.
The 1,400-pound Cessna 172, operated by the Orange County Flight Center, had just landed and was taxiing behind the Boeing 737. According to reports from the people on board the smaller aircraft, the commercial jet increased its engine power to move onto Runway 02L, producing a sudden and violent jet blast that the pilot could not control.
Jason Ryu, the pilot of the overturned Cessna, stated in an incident report that the airflow from the Boeing forcefully moved his aircraft. Flight student Kunal Gawli, who was also in the cockpit, added that the pilot was unable to maintain a safe distance from the larger jet because of ongoing construction near Dove Street.
Surveillance footage captured by the flight center shows the small plane tilting upward onto its nose and left wing before being pushed forward and flipping completely over onto its roof. Air traffic control audio captured the immediate aftermath, with an air traffic controller asking another aircraft if the occupants were all right after witnessing the accident.
Emergency crews were immediately dispatched by air traffic controllers to inspect the overturned aircraft. Fortunately, both the pilot and the student escaped the accident without sustaining any injuries, according to airport and aviation officials.
The United Airlines Boeing 737 departed safely and landed in Chicago two minutes ahead of schedule. United Airlines declined to comment on the incident when contacted by reporters.
The Federal Aviation Administration is actively investigating the occurrence, and an initial report classifies the structural damage sustained by the Cessna as substantial. While an airport spokesperson and the FAA did not explicitly reference jet blast in their brief statements, both confirmed that an inquiry into the exact cause is currently underway.