Injured After Taxiing Boeing Misses Turnoff, Blasts Hangars

The FAA and NTSB are investigating following an incident Saturday night where an employee working near a hangar at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) was injured after he was caught in the jetwash of a chartered Boeing (reported by general media as a 727 but listed by the FAA as a 737) that swung in too close after missing a ground turnoff.

The employee suffered minor cuts to his head and an injured foot from the ordeal, which occurred as the Boeing was taxiing into position for takeoff.

The aircraft's pilot tried to compensate for a missed turn and subsequently lost control of the aircraft, said airport spokesman David Hebert to the San Antonio Express-News.

No passengers were onboard the San Diego-bound aircraft, although a crewmember also suffered minor injuries in the ordeal.

The trijet (file photo of type, below) blasted the hangars with its exhaust, causing "significant" structural damage to the hangars, said Hebert.

Although witness Joe Cadena did not see the incident take place, he could hear it from his post at a nearby rental car company.

"It was extremely loud," he said. "We had to cover our ears... [the engines] revved up, then it died down, then it really revved up."

Airport officials are asking anyone with information on the incident to contact the NTSB.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov