- Date
- April 27, 2007, 21:27 local (Apr 28, 2007, 02:27 UTC)
- Place
- San Antonio, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N49108Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 65659
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The single-engine pilot's failure to avoid the jet blast while taxiing and the ground controller's inattentiveness to the situation, which resulted in the airplane's being blown over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The single-engine airplane was blown over by the jet blast of a departing twin-turbine powered airliner while taxing. The single-engine airplane had been instructed by the ATC ground controller to taxi to a parking area via a taxiway that crossed behind the waiting airliner. Meanwhile, the scheduled airliner was issued a takeoff clearance. As the airliner powered-up to enter the active runway for departure, the jet blast rolled the single-engine airplane over to an inverted position. The private pilot and passenger were able to exit the airplane unassisted. The single-engine airplane's right wing sustained structural damage. The airliner, unaware of what had occurred, departed the airport. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual, chapter 7, paragraph 7-3-8 a, "...the flight disciplines necessary to ensure vortex avoidance during VFR operations must be exercised by the pilot." According to FAA order 7110.65R, ground controllers are to "Use caution when taxiing smaller aircraft/helicopters in the vicinity of larger aircraft."
Factual narrative
The single-engine airplane was blown over by the jet blast of a departing twin-turbine powered airliner while taxing. The single-engine airplane had been instructed by the ATC ground controller to taxi to a parking area via a taxiway that crossed behind the waiting airliner. Meanwhile, the scheduled airliner was issued a takeoff clearance. As the airliner powered-up to enter the active runway for departure, the jet blast rolled the single-engine airplane over to an inverted position. The private pilot and passenger were able to exit the airplane unassisted. The single-engine airplane's right wing sustained structural damage. The airliner, unaware of what had occurred, departed the airport. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual, chapter 7, paragraph 7-3-8 a, "...the flight disciplines necessary to ensure vortex avoidance during VFR operations must be exercised by the pilot." According to FAA order 7110.65R, ground controllers are to "Use caution when taxiing smaller aircraft/helicopters in the vicinity of larger aircraft."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49108
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283421
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-235, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alpha Tango Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
- Airport
- SAT · San Antonio Intl
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 150 in this make and model
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 19
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAT
Other investigations on N49108 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.