Narrative:

This aircraft incident occurred during taxi at indianapolis international airport. Holding short at runway 23L, D1 intersection, #2 for takeoff approximately 300 ft behind and at the 5 O'clock position in relation to a B727. I was performing run-up on the C172 in preparation for takeoff. During my performing this run-up, the tower operator advised the B727 that there was an aircraft on a 7 mi final going 170 KTS, and that he could take off previous to that airplane if he could get on the runway and depart previous to the aircraft on final. The B727 requested to depart. The tower operator cleared the B727 for takeoff. The B727 pwred up and began its forward progression onto runway 23L. Simultaneously, the C172 began to shake violently in the exhaust of the 3 jet engines. The nose lifted approximately 2 ft vertically, and then the left wingtip slammed down onto the taxiway, resulting in a wingtip strike. Then, as the rest of the airplane began to come back down, and the propeller struck the taxiway concrete. Immediately, I shut down the engine, but it was too late, as the propeller had already struck the ground several times. The B727 continued its takeoff uneventfully. I started the engine, and told the ground operator that we needed to taxi back to the FBO. Upon my inspection of the airplane on the ramp, I discovered ground strikes on both wingtips, the propeller, and a small scrape on the tail horizontal elevator. I felt that the problem arose when we taxied within 300 ft of the jet. I also felt that possibly the B727 throttled up a little more than usual, in order to get onto the runway and depart quicker than normal, due to the aircraft approaching on final. The lesson here is one that was previously learned, but from now on the aircraft I am flying will stay well behind all jets during taxi operations. Supplemental information from acn 457253: some significant thrust was required to move the jet into position from the hold short spot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 172 PLT HAD THE ACFT DAMAGED BY JET BLAST FROM A BOEING 727 BEGINNING TO TAXI AT IND.

Narrative: THIS ACFT INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING TAXI AT INDIANAPOLIS INTL ARPT. HOLDING SHORT AT RWY 23L, D1 INTXN, #2 FOR TKOF APPROX 300 FT BEHIND AND AT THE 5 O'CLOCK POS IN RELATION TO A B727. I WAS PERFORMING RUN-UP ON THE C172 IN PREPARATION FOR TKOF. DURING MY PERFORMING THIS RUN-UP, THE TWR OPERATOR ADVISED THE B727 THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON A 7 MI FINAL GOING 170 KTS, AND THAT HE COULD TAKE OFF PREVIOUS TO THAT AIRPLANE IF HE COULD GET ON THE RWY AND DEPART PREVIOUS TO THE ACFT ON FINAL. THE B727 REQUESTED TO DEPART. THE TWR OPERATOR CLRED THE B727 FOR TKOF. THE B727 PWRED UP AND BEGAN ITS FORWARD PROGRESSION ONTO RWY 23L. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE C172 BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY IN THE EXHAUST OF THE 3 JET ENGS. THE NOSE LIFTED APPROX 2 FT VERTLY, AND THEN THE L WINGTIP SLAMMED DOWN ONTO THE TXWY, RESULTING IN A WINGTIP STRIKE. THEN, AS THE REST OF THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO COME BACK DOWN, AND THE PROP STRUCK THE TXWY CONCRETE. IMMEDIATELY, I SHUT DOWN THE ENG, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE, AS THE PROP HAD ALREADY STRUCK THE GND SEVERAL TIMES. THE B727 CONTINUED ITS TKOF UNEVENTFULLY. I STARTED THE ENG, AND TOLD THE GND OPERATOR THAT WE NEEDED TO TAXI BACK TO THE FBO. UPON MY INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE RAMP, I DISCOVERED GND STRIKES ON BOTH WINGTIPS, THE PROP, AND A SMALL SCRAPE ON THE TAIL HORIZ ELEVATOR. I FELT THAT THE PROB AROSE WHEN WE TAXIED WITHIN 300 FT OF THE JET. I ALSO FELT THAT POSSIBLY THE B727 THROTTLED UP A LITTLE MORE THAN USUAL, IN ORDER TO GET ONTO THE RWY AND DEPART QUICKER THAN NORMAL, DUE TO THE ACFT APCHING ON FINAL. THE LESSON HERE IS ONE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY LEARNED, BUT FROM NOW ON THE ACFT I AM FLYING WILL STAY WELL BEHIND ALL JETS DURING TAXI OPS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 457253: SOME SIGNIFICANT THRUST WAS REQUIRED TO MOVE THE JET INTO POS FROM THE HOLD SHORT SPOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.