On Monday afternoon, a two-seat Piper PA-28 Cherokee airplane made an emergency landing on Huntington State Beach, bringing a harrowing experience for pilot Mike Bremner and his nephew, Griffin Bremner, to a safe conclusion. The pair emerged unscathed after the unexpected landing between Brookhurst and Magnolia streets.
The incident began shortly before 2 p.m. when Mike Bremner took off from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport. Minutes into the flight, the aircraft's engine cut out, and attempts to restart it were unsuccessful. Griffin Bremner, the nephew, recounted feeling the plane stutter and the propellers slow before his uncle stated, "Griffin, we’re cooked!"
Despite the immediate danger, Mike Bremner quickly formulated a plan as they lost altitude. He explained that as they realized they were getting too low, the focus shifted to landing. He stated he looked to his right and saw "a beautiful big beach," which led them to "point at an empty spot on the beach and landed." Griffin Bremner noted that a couple walking along the beach sprinted out of the way as the small plane descended.
Upon hitting the sand, the aircraft rolled for approximately 100 feet. The pilot then executed a hard turn, which caused the aircraft to brake effectively, allowing both individuals onboard to emerge without injury. Personnel from California State Parks swiftly responded to the scene of the emergency beach landing.
A spokesperson for California State Parks confirmed that the pilot indicated they were flying from the Santa Ana airport to Van Nuys Airport when engine failure occurred approximately five minutes into the flight. The spokesperson added that no injuries were reported among individuals on the ground, and only a partial closure of the area immediately surrounding the plane was necessary.
Mike Bremner is known as the founder of Elder Abuse Airforce, a nonprofit organization based out of John Wayne Airport. This organization utilizes adventurous airplane journeys to increase awareness of financial scams targeting senior citizens. Despite Monday’s near miss, Bremner affirmed his intent to continue flying. He expressed having "utmost confidence in aircraft and the way they’re maintained," given his profession flying corporate jets. Bremner concluded, "This was an unfortunate experience, but I’ll absolutely be flying again."
