An unusual incident occurred at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, when a Cessna 172 was caught in the jet blast of a Boeing 737 and flipped completely upside down. Two people were on board the light aircraft. Both escaped the incident without injuries.
Incident During Taxiing Operations
The incident occurred on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at approximately 2:38 p.m. local time at John Wayne Airport (SNA). The aircraft involved was a Cessna 172 Skyhawk registered as N57BM and operated by Orange County Flight Center.
A flight instructor and a student pilot were on board. The Cessna had completed a flight and was taxiing back to its parking area after landing. During the taxi, it was following a United Airlines Boeing 737.
As the Boeing increased its engine power to turn onto Runway 02L, the smaller aircraft was caught in the resulting jet blast. The powerful airflow lifted the tail of the Cessna, causing it to lose stability. The aircraft subsequently pitched forward and overturned completely.
Both Occupants Escape Uninjured
The flight instructor, Jason Ryu, stated in his incident report that the sudden airflow made it impossible to maintain control of the aircraft’s movement. The student pilot, Kunal Gawli, also described how the jet blast lifted the tail of the Cessna before causing the aircraft to overturn.
Both occupants escaped without injuries. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene. The Cessna, which had come to rest upside down, subsequently had to be lifted back onto its landing gear using a crane before being removed from the area.
FAA Investigates the Incident
The Boeing involved was operating United Airlines flight UA2611, bound for Chicago. The airliner continued its journey without further incident and reached its destination as scheduled.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. While initial statements from airport officials pointed to strong wind gusts as a possible cause, the FAA later confirmed that the Cessna had overturned while taxiing behind United flight 2611.
Orange County Flight Center also pointed to ongoing construction work at the airport, which had resulted in changes to taxi routes used by general aviation aircraft. Whether these circumstances contributed to the incident remains part of the investigation. The FAA initially classified the damage to the Cessna as substantial.
