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Atlas / NTSB / DFW07CA099

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event DFW07CA099

2007-04-27 San Antonio, Texas, United States Airport · SAT None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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.

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." 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." Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_DFW07CA099.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.