Drone crash causes wildfire in Flagstaff, AZ

[shooter]

No bueno...

https://dronedj.com/2018/03/07/drone-crash-sparks-wildfire-northwest-of-flagstaff-az/

 

[FatherXmas]

A personal drone and no details, be interesting to see what and why it actually happened.

 

[BigAl07]

A personal drone and no details, be interesting to see what and why it actually happened.

The operator is the one who called the fire in and the last report I heard was:

"Coconino National Forest Officials say the operator of the crashed drone was cited and could face fines or even jail time."

 

[SanCap]

Using the reports to try to locate the area where the crash/fire was this is what I came up with. The flight was not in a controlled airspace, the flight was not in a designated Wilderness Area and the flight did not appear to be over a very populated area. From what I read the flight did not go against the Coconino National Forest guidelines (Coconino National Forest - Outdoor Safety & Ethics). Please correct me if I am reading the rules wrong.

Obviously we do not have all the info on what happened but it appears that whatever type of drone the pilot was flying impacted the ground and a fire possibly started from a lipo battery. Unprotected lipo's can easily start on fire if they impact a rock or whatever.

Unfortunately there was some property damage but it appears to be minimal. Not very different than the multitude of brush fires created by someone throwing a cigarette out of a car window.

 

[S F Ogden]

Using the reports to try to locate the area where the crash/fire was this is what I came up with. The flight was not in a controlled airspace, the flight was not in a designated Wilderness Area and the flight did not appear to be over a very populated area. From what I read the flight did not go against the Coconino National Forest guidelines (Coconino National Forest - Outdoor Safety & Ethics). Please correct me if I am reading the rules wrong.

Obviously we do not have all the info on what happened but it appears that whatever type of drone the pilot was flying impacted the ground and a fire possibly started from a lipo battery. Unprotected lipo's can easily start on fire if they impact a rock or whatever.

Unfortunately there was some property damage but it appears to be minimal. Not very different than the multitude of brush fires created by someone throwing a cigarette out of a car window.

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I think if you're responsible for starting the fire for any reason (campfire, etc.), the forest service can charge you.

 

[SanCap]

I think if you're responsible for starting the fire for any reason (campfire, etc.), the forest service can charge you.

I agree, my point was that I did not see anything malicious or premeditated in this accident.

 

[FatherXmas]

I think if you're responsible for starting the fire for any reason (campfire, etc.), the forest service can charge you.

You are correct. I took a fire investigator course a million years ago (was volunteer assistant fire marshal for a small town in TX) and you can be held liable for any fire for any reason.

 

[CashCache]

I doubt they will charge him/her unless they can prove he/she was doing something stupid - and knew it at the time. We constantly have people coming here from all over the country to hike that ultimately get stuck due to dehydration or just not being prepared. The costs of the helicopter to bring them down, or the fire department to go up is pretty much always left up to us tax payers.

 

[CashCache]

I forgot to mention that they are not saying what the drone type is, but they give its dimensions as 16" X 16". Custom build perhaps?

 

[Rudy Torres]

I only hope that if new rules come from this latest incident, that they are reasonable and fair to the lawful. National Forest was, I believe, the last drone friendly, venue. The department of agriculture, I felt, gave the impression that sUAV's were a great awareness tool, as opposed the department of interior looking at sUAV as a threat.

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

I forgot to mention that they are not saying what the drone type is, but they give its dimensions as 16" X 16". Custom build perhaps?

A DJI Flame Wheel 450 DIY build is just over 17 inches.

 

[Timinator]

So if a cessna 152 crashed would they charge the pilot with starting a fire?

 

[BigAl07]

So if a cessna 152 crashed would they charge the pilot with starting a fire?

If he was found to be negligent it's very possible.

 

[Timinator]

I wonder if, in practice, this has ever happened?

 

[Rudy Torres]

So if a cessna 152 crashed would they charge the pilot with starting a fire?

With regards to the Cessna scenario, Private pilots with private aircraft are not required to have insurance. Bringing it back to the Arizona drone incident, let's hope the remote pilot has deep pockets.

 

[Timinator]

With regards to the Cessna scenario, Private pilots with private aircraft are not required to have insurance. Bringing it back to the Arizona drone incident, let's hope the remote pilot has deep pockets.

Surely the aircraft has to have insurance, no?

 

[BigAl07]

I wonder if, in practice, this has ever happened?

Over the years we've seen several R/C aircraft crash and cause fires on the ground. Fortunately most of these were at "designated flying fields" so it wasn't a big deal. Usually we had several people on hand to help put the fires out quickly.