FAA investigating after small plane flips over on John Wayne Airport runway due to jet blast

A small airplane flipped on the John Wayne Airport runway in Orange County, triggering an ongoing investigation. Firefighters were dispatched to the ACI Jet ramp around 2:40 p.m., with officials noting the incident occurred while the aircraft was in a stall and then overturned.

Initial reports indicated the aircraft was blown over by wind, and no one was initially on board. Later statements clarified that the plane was a Cessna 172 and that the pilot and a passenger were aboard when it overturned, with no injuries reported.

Authorities cited a possible jet blast factor, with a claim that the aircraft flipped due to a jet blast from a departing airline jet as the plane was leaving the ramp toward the taxiway. The owners and local flight club described the incident in terms of a jet blast impacting a general aviation aircraft amid ongoing airport reconstruction.

The Orange County Fire Authority, John Wayne Airport officials, and the airport’s flight center owner engaged in the inquiry, but no definitive cause has been established publicly by these agencies. They stated they would provide updates as the investigation progresses.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a preliminary statement corroborating the jet-blast scenario connected to a United Airlines flight and said the agency would conduct its own investigation, with the understanding that details could change as more information becomes available. No injuries and no confirmed cause have been finalized in the released statements.