Uncle and Nephew Safely Crash-Land Plane on Huntington Beach

An uncle and his nephew experienced a frightening incident Monday afternoon when their two-seat plane’s engine failed, prompting an emergency landing on Huntington State Beach.

Mike Bremner had taken off from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport in a Piper PA-28 Cherokee just before 2 p.m. Within minutes, the engine malfunctioned, and restarting it proved unsuccessful.

Griffin Bremner, Mike’s nephew, described feeling the plane’s stutter and the propellers slowing. Mike turned to Griffin and remarked, “Griffin, we’re cooked!” Fortunately, Mike acted swiftly. “Once we realized we were descending too much, we focused on landing,” Mike recounted. “I saw a vast stretch of beach on my right, so we aimed for an empty spot to land.”

The Piper PA-28 Cherokee touched down safely around 2 p.m., just south of Magnolia Street. An onlooker, Evan Schaben, noted a couple on the beach who ran aside as the plane descended. The plane hit the sand, rolled approximately 100 feet, and Mike executed a sharp turn, braking effectively. Both emerged uninjured.

California State Parks officials responded to the incident between Brookhurst and Magnolia streets and will coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board to discover the cause. A spokesperson confirmed, “The pilot reported flying from Santa Ana to Van Nuys Airport, encountering engine failure about 5 minutes into the flight. No ground injuries were reported, and only part of the area around the plane was closed.”

Mike Bremner, who steered the plane safely onto the sand, is also the founder of Elder Abuse Airforce. This nonprofit, based at John Wayne Airport, raises awareness about financial scams affecting seniors through adventurous flights. Despite Monday’s scare, Mike remains committed to flying. “I pilot corporate jets and trust aircraft maintenance. Though unfortunate, this experience won’t deter me from flying again,” he stated.

Evan Schaben contributed as a freelance photographer.