Plane Crashes At NHRA Finals In California

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The In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at the Pomona Fairplex in Southern California had a little too much excitement when a small plane crashed near the dragstrip. Fortunately, nobody on the ground was injured by the crash. All four people onboard survived but each one sustained injuries.

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As everything unfolded on the morning of November 17, it could’ve been so much worse. NHRA Finals are popular, with a big crowd in attendance, not to mention the teams. But the parking area where the crash unfolded was empty of people at the time.

Local station KTLA reports that two pickup trucks and a camper were hit by the single-engine airplane, but those vehicles were empty. Two of the four people on the airplane sustained critical injuries, the other two had moderate injuries. All of them were transported to the hospital.

A heavy-duty Ram was captured in the video footage of the crash aftermath, the top of the cab just gone, we assume from one of the plane’s wings cutting right through it. Considering that, it’s incredibly fortunate nobody was in the path at the time.

Racing was suspended after the crash, which was around 11 am. However, competition resumed at around 1 pm. Cleanup of the crash scene took much longer, including dealing with spilled fuel.

NHRA released an official statement about the incident: “Today, a small single-engine airplane crashed at the Pomona Fairplex. The pilot and three occupants of the aircraft all suffered minor to moderate non-life-threatening injuries and are being treated at a nearby hospital. The NHRA has been working closely with the Pomona Police Department and L.A. County Fire Department and has been guided to continue racing.”

Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the plane crash. While preliminary findings might be released anytime now, a full investigation could take some time. For now, we’re just happy the incident didn’t turn fatal.

Image via KTLA 5/YouTube