Airports
Nebraska Airport Raked by Tornado
Eppley Airfield in Omaha saw extensive damage to its general aviation area
Devastated hangars at Omaha's Eppley Airfield
While it caused some damage to Eppley Airfield's commercial general aviation tenants, Friday afternoon's tornado wreaked devastation upon the community GA storage area, decimating four hangars containing approximately 32 aircraft. The area is closed to all but affected aircraft owners, operators, and service providers as recovery/clean-up operations continue. © Omaha Airport Authority

Aircraft owners and operators at Eppley Airfield (KOMA) in Omaha, Nebraska, continue to sift through the rubble after a tornado on Friday afternoon destroyed four hangars containing 32 general aviation aircraft, including a Cirrus Vision Jet. No injuries were reported and the airport’s basic infrastructure—including its passenger terminal—was unscathed. It reopened within an hour.

Aircraft management and private lift provider Jet Linx suffered damage to its brand-new complex. Company CEO Brent Wouters told AIN that while its south hangar saw only minor damage to its metal siding, the other 30,000-sq-ft hangar took a direct hit that stitched an opening in the roof, sheared bolts and welds, and twisted steel beams, rendering it unsafe for occupation.

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