During a recent ground operation at John Wayne Airport (JWA), a small single-engine light aircraft was flipped upside down, prompting an immediate investigation by federal authorities.
According to the airport and the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), a single-engine Cessna 172 parked in the airport’s ramp area was overturned onto its roof at approximately 2:30 p.m. on the 7th.
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was carrying two people, a flight instructor and a student, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Federal Aviation Administration Investigates Jet Blast Incident
While airport officials initially suspected that strong winds may unsecured the aircraft and caused it to flip, subsequent investigations pointed to a powerful jet blast from a large commercial airliner as the actual cause.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced its preliminary findings on the 8th, stating that the Cessna aircraft was overturned by wake turbulence while following a United Airlines flight.
The aircraft’s owner, Orange County Flight Center (OCFC), also explained that the plane was swept over by the intense jet blast of a departing large airliner during taxiway entry.
Recent Aviation Safety Concerns in Southern California
No flight delays or operational disruptions occurred as a result of the incident. However, this accident followed another aviation scare in the region over the weekend, which involved a Southwest Airlines flight to San Jose making an emergency landing at LAX due to an engine issue.
