Drone Crash Grounded Canadian Super Scooper During Critical Period of the Palisades Fire
The mystery of who was piloting the drone that damaged and grounded one of the Canadian Super Scooper planes in the early days of the Palisades Fire has been solved. A man from Culver City has agreed to plead guilty to recklessly operating a drone that crashed into a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft battling the Palisades Fire earlier this month, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
Peter Tripp Akemann, 56, will plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, a misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Akemann, formerly a president of Skydance Interactive, exited the company in 2022, after running Skydance’s video game and virtual reality section. He began working for the company in 2016 after Skydance acquired The Workshop, a company he co-founded. He will not serve any jail time after accepting a plea deal. Deadline quoted one Palisades community member who works in the entertainment industry who said, “This is not justice. I’m not saying it would have, but that plane could have maybe saved homes and businesses if it hadn’t been damaged.”
Akemann admitted in a plea agreement that his drone posed an imminent safety hazard to the Super Scooper crew. The collision forced the aircraft, which was supplied by the Government of Quebec, out of service temporarily, preventing it from continuing its firefighting mission.
As part of the agreement, Akemann will pay full restitution for damages—at least $65,169—to the Government of Quebec and an aircraft repair company. He will also complete 150 hours of community service to support the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort.
“This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally said. “As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued temporary flight restrictions prohibiting drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires when Akemann launched his drone on Jan. 9. According to the plea agreement, he drove to the top level of a Santa Monica parking structure, flew the drone toward the Pacific Palisades fire, and lost sight of it.
The drone traveled more than 1.5 miles before colliding with the firefighting aircraft, causing a hole approximately 3 inches by 6 inches in the left wing. The damage was discovered after the plane landed, and maintenance personnel removed it from service for repairs.
“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Please respect the law, respect the FAA’s rules, and respect our firefighters and the residents they are protecting by keeping your drone at home during wildfires.” Akemann is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Monday afternoon at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
The FBI led the investigation, with assistance from the FAA, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and CAL FIRE. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
