Firefighting Aircraft Grounded in Southern California After Drone Strike

FAA launches an investigation after a civilian UAS damages a 'Super Scooper' air tanker wing.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, January 10, 2025 at 11:42 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

The Bombardier Canadair CL-415 "Super Scooper" was able to land after it was hit by the drone around 1 p.m. PST., according to fire officials. [Courtesy: Los Angeles County Fire Department/ Twitter]

Key Takeaways:

A firefighting "Super Scooper" aircraft responding to Southern California wildfires was grounded after a civilian drone struck and damaged its wing.
The incident rendered the critical aircraft unairworthy, disrupting efforts to contain the extensive Palisades Fire, which has burned over 20,000 acres.
Flying drones near wildfires is a federal crime and severely impedes firefighting operations, as it creates a collision risk that can force aircraft to ground.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A firefighting aircraft deployed to respond to ongoing Southern California wildfires was grounded Thursday after it was struck and damaged by a civilian drone while over the Palisades Fire, according to fire officials.

The Bombardier Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” was able to land after it was hit by the drone around 1 p.m. PST. However, a hole in its wing rendered it unairworthy, Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed in a post on X.