News

Pilot crashes at Brackett Field

A small private airplane hit the finish line display board off Fairplex Drive around 1:30 p.m. Thursday before crashing into the fence of Brackett Field Airport. The airplane was engulfed in flames when the La Verne Fire Department arrived at the scene. The pilot got out safely with minor injuries, but was transported to USC Hospital for observation. / Photo By Karla Rendon
A small private airplane hit the finish line display board off Fairplex Drive around 1:30 p.m. Thursday before crashing into the fence of Brackett Field Airport. The airplane was engulfed in flames when the La Verne Fire Department arrived at the scene. The pilot got out safely with minor injuries, but was transported to USC Hospital for observation. / photo by Karla Rendon

Kat Simonelli
Sports Editor
Jolene Nacapuy
Editor in Chief

A small private airplane crashed onto the sidewalk of Fairplex Drive near Brackett Field Airport Thursday, and the pilot suffered minor injuries.

The pilot hit the finish line display board for the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona before crashing into the fence for Brackett Field Airport.

At about 1:30 p.m., the La Verne Police and Fire departments received a call that a plane crash had occurred.

When the fire department arrived on the scene, the plane was engulfed in flames, but the pilot had escaped before the fire started. The fire department managed to put the fire out within minutes.

“From the preliminary investigation, he possibly lost power for some reason, hit the sign and then crashed into the fence onto the sidewalk,” LVPD Lt. Chris Fenner said.

The name of the pilot has not been released.The pilot is reportedly in his late 40s to early 50s.

He suffered minor abrasions to his back with a little bruising, according to La Verne Fire Department engineer Steve Paige. He was transported to USC Medical Center in Los Angeles as a precaution.

The plane was a two-seater single-engine Cessna.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are currently investigating the crash.

This is not the first time that a plane has crashed near Brackett Field.

“It doesn’t happen that often, but it happens,” Paige said.

On March 30, 1990, a plane took off from the runway with black smoke trailing behind it and crashed after the pilot attempted to turn around.

On Feb. 26, 2002, a plane crashed in to the horse stables at the fairgrounds, after a reported engine failure.

On April 15, 2008, a plane taking off from runway 26 at Brackett Field crashed into a hill, also due to engine problems.

Kat Simonelli can be reached at kathryn.simonelli@laverne.edu and on Twitter @KatSimonelli.

Jolene Nacapuy can be reached at jolene.nacapuy@laverne.edu and on Twitter @_jjolenenacapuy.

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