A California Man Faces Up to One Year in Prison for Flying Drone into Firefighting Aircraft
A 56-year-old California man, Peter Tripp Akemann, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft after his drone crashed into a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft while it was battling the devastating Palisades Fire in California.
According to the plea agreement, Akemann flew his drone towards the fire on January 9 to see the damage, but lost sight of it, causing it to collide with the Super Scooper, leaving a 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the left wing of the aircraft. The crew was able to land the aircraft safely, but it was out of commission for approximately five days.
The incident occurred despite Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight restrictions prohibiting the flying of drones near the fires in southern California. Akemann’s reckless behavior poses an extreme threat to firefighting personnel, who are trying to help people during emergencies.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally said that this case should serve as a warning that “if you fly a drone around wildfires, and you do so recklessly, law enforcement is going to find you, and we’re going to hold you accountable.” The FBI’s Assistant Director in Charge, Akil Davis, added that flying drones during emergencies poses an extreme threat to personnel and that “lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges.”
