Man Who Crashed Drone into Firefighting Plane During LA Wildfires Escapes Jail Time

A man has escaped jail time after pleading guilty to unsafely operating a drone that collided with firefighting aircraft during the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.

Peter Tripp Akemann agreed to a plea deal that would see him pay full restitution for the damage on the plane.

In exchange for no time in prison, Akemann will do 150 hours of community service in wildfire relief.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally confirmed the details of the plea deal for the charges Akemann faced that carried a potential sentence of one year in prison.

Akemann’s unsafe drone operation resulted in a collision that grounded a firefighting aircraft for several days in early January.

The drone collided with the plane while it was tackling the wildfires that devastated the affluent Pacific Palisades area.

There was no evidence suggesting Akemann acted with malicious intent in operating his drone in an unsafe manner.

As such, prosecutors were willing to negotiate for no prison time.

However, Akemann’s motivation for flying the drone in the path of firefighting aircraft is unclear.

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While Akemann had no malicious intent, Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, stated:

“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges.”

The aircraft that was hit by Akemann’s drone was from Canada and owned by the Government of Quebec.

Akemann has agreed to pay $65,000 in repair costs.

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On January 9th, Akemann launched his drone from a parking structure in Santa Monica.

He flew it over 1.5 miles toward the Palisades Fire.

At a certain point, Akemann lost sight of the drone, which then hit the wing of a Super Scooper firefighting plane.

The impact punched a hole in the plane’s left wing.

Thanks to the skilled actions of the pilots, they were able to land the aircraft safely despite the hole in the wing.

The pilot averted a potential tragedy that could have cost the lives of the two pilots as well as others had the plane crashed in an urban area.

While the plane survived, it was grounded for days, restricting firefighters’ ability to contain the out-of-control wildfires that consumed thousands of structures.

Private citizens operating drones must pay attention to emergency orders in case authorities issue a grounding order for all personal craft.

During firefighting operations, drones must be grounded to avoid collision with helicopters and planes which are a key asset in fighting massive wildfires.

In a statement, Davis explained:

“The FAA has very strict guidelines about registering drones and where drones can be flown.

“The onus is on the pilot, if firefighters are putting out a fire with aircraft that should be a clue.”

Hopefully, Akemann’s case will be a reminder to all private operators to make better decisions and not interfere with firefighting operations by compromising the airspace.

READ MORE – Ivanka Trump Spent Hours Volunteering to Help LA Fire Victims

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