What happened
On November 17, 2024, at approximately 11:10 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, registration N617ET, was involved in an accident near Pomona, California. The flight originated from Apple Valley Airport (APV) with the intention of landing at Brackett Field Airport (POC).
While approximately 10 miles from the destination, the pilot contacted the Brackett Field Air Traffic Control Tower. The controller initially instructed the pilot to enter the right downwind leg for runway 26R, but subsequently revised the instructions to enter the traffic pattern on the base leg. After completing pre-landing checklist items, the pilot was cleared to land on runway 26R.
Upon turning onto the final approach, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restore power by switching fuel tanks and checking the fuel boost pump, but these actions were unsuccessful. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on a road west of the Pomona Fairplex, but the aircraft descended into a parking lot. The plane struck multiple unoccupied vehicles before coming to rest upright approximately 1,000 feet from the approach end of runway 26R.
The accident resulted in one serious injury and three minor injuries; there were 0 fatalities.