11-Month Old Child Injured by Falling Drone

On Sept. 12, 2015, at approximately 6:28 p.m., a mother was pushing her 11-month old daughter in a stroller on Marengo Avenue near Union Street in Pasadena when a privately owned drone (quadcopter) crashed to the ground near them. The drone shattered sending shrapnel flying toward the child’s face and head and the mother’s legs. The debris caused a large contusion to the child’s forehead and an approximate ¼ laceration to the side of her head. She was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released. The was not injured.

Pasadena officers responded and discovered the drone owner standing near the crash site. The owner explained that he was attending an event in front of City Hall and flying the drone overhead when he lost control of the drone and it went down at Marengo Avenue and Union Street. He immediately responded to the intersection and discovered the damaged drone and injured child. He remained on scene waiting for law enforcement.

This incident was documented as an “Other Accident” and forwarded to the Flight Standards District Office in Van Nuys for review to determine if the operator violated Federal Aviation Regulation 91.13 (Careless or reckless operation of an unmanned aircraft).

The police department would like to remind operators of unmanned aerial systems, otherwise known as drones, they are considered aircraft and subject the FAA regulations and guidelines. Visit http://www.faa.gov/uas/model_aircraft/ for additional details.

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