The FBI has announced that it would be launching a criminal probe into a drone that crashed into a firefighting plane conducting operations near Malibu, California, to battle the ongoing wildfires spreading across the Los Angeles area.
A drone damaged one of the 'Super Scooper' CL-415 Canadian planes that was fighting the LA wildfires:
"The FAA is investigating A midair collision happened between an aircraft, a key aircraft obviously used in fighting the Palisades fire and a drone that shouldn't have been where… pic.twitter.com/YUsu9tN9UT— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) January 10, 2025
In a statement, the FBI revealed that it is seeking information that would lead to the identity of the individual flying the drone that crashed into a “super scooper” fire suppression airplane that was being used to fight the Palisades Fire. These “super scooper” planes are essential for fighting these out-of-control wildfires, as they are able to scoop up over 1,500 gallons of ocean water at a time to drop on active fires.
The drone should never have been in the sky at that time, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a temporary flight restriction because of the multiple wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
According to the Bureau, “an unauthorized drone flying in violation of an FAA temporary flight restriction (TFR) collided with” the firefighting plane near the southeastern portion of the Palisades Fire at around 4:40 p.m. on January 9.
“The collision left a 3 x 6 inch hole in the left wing. Parts of the heavily damaged drone were recovered,” the FBI added.
The FBI is seeking information that leads to the identity of a UAS pilot whose drone collided with a “super scooper” airplane conducting fire suppression operations at the #PalisadesFire near Malibu, California. Details & and how to contact the FBI here:https://t.co/0FCsCvrgGy pic.twitter.com/MiRuhWWeQP
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) January 13, 2025
Luckily, the plane was able to land safely following the collision. However, authorities were still forced to move the firefighting plane out of the area and ground it for several days for repairs — which took away a vital resource for firefighters while the Palisades fire continued to burn out of control.
This collision came shortly after the FAA released a statement banning drone operators from flying in the area, warning that there would be consequences for interfering with the ongoing efforts to fight the wildfires.
“It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” the FAA wrote in the statement. “Additionally, the FAA can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergency response operations when temporary flight restrictions are in place.”
Do not fly your drone near or around areas affected by the LA wildfires. Anyone who interferes with emergency response operations may face severe fines and criminal prosecution. If you fly, emergency responders can't. pic.twitter.com/UE5wqAlR1O
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 10, 2025