Emergency Plane Landing at Huntington State Beach

An uncle and his nephew faced a frightening ordeal Monday afternoon when their two-seat plane’s engine failed, necessitating an emergency landing at Huntington State Beach.

Mike Bremner piloted a Piper PA-28 Cherokee after departing from John Wayne Airport in Orange County shortly before 2 p.m. Moments after takeoff, the engine stopped, and despite efforts, it did not restart.

Griffin Bremner, the nephew, experienced the plane’s sputter and the propellers slowing down. His uncle remarked, “Griffin, we’re cooked!” as they realized the situation.

Displaying quick thinking, Mike devised a plan. “As we descended too low, we concentrated on landing. I saw a large, clear beach to my right,” Mike recounted. “We aimed for an empty spot and landed the plane.”

The Piper PA-28 Cherokee safely reached the sand around 2 p.m., just south of Magnolia Street in Huntington Beach. A couple on the beach ran to safety as the small aircraft descended, according to Griffin.

The plane landed and skimmed along the sand for about 100 feet before Mike executed a sharp turn, bringing it to a halt. Fortunately, both occupants were unscathed.

California State Parks personnel promptly responded to the emergency landing between Brookhurst and Magnolia streets. They will collaborate with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the cause of the failure, stated a spokesperson.

The spokesperson further explained, “The pilot reported flying from the Santa Ana airport to Van Nuys Airport when the engine malfunctioned approximately five minutes into the flight.” The landing resulted in no ground injuries and led to only a partial area closure around the aircraft.

Mike, who pilots the plane onto the sand, founded the nonprofit organization Elder Abuse Airforce, based at John Wayne Airport. This organization conducts adventurous flights to raise awareness about financial scams against seniors. Despite Monday’s scare, Mike is undeterred from flying.

“I fly corporate jets professionally and fully trust aircraft maintenance,” he affirmed. “This was a bad experience, but I’ll definitely fly again.”

Evan Schaben contributed as a freelance photographer for the report.