FAA investigating after 'dirty ice' block falls through homeowner's roof

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a California homeowner reported that a large piece of ice fell from the sky, crashed through her tenant's roof and landed on his couch.

According to local officials, the incident occurred at around 11 a.m. PDT on April 10, in Whittier, a city in Los Angeles County, California.

In a news release from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn's office, the tenant, Yuder Grau, living in the home owned by Thania Magana, said he heard “what sounded like an explosion” and found a large piece of "dirty ice" on the living room couch. Magana emailed Hahn on Saturday, requesting assistance in "ensuring this incident is properly investigated."

In photos released by Hahn’s office, officials say the piece of ice crashed through the home's roof and ceiling. Officials said they submitted a report to the FAA, with local authorities classifying it as a “suspicious circumstance.”

The FAA confirmed to USA TODAY that it was investigating the falling ice.

"While such incidents are rare, the potential consequences are extremely serious," Hahn said in a letter to the FAA. "Whether the material originated from aircraft systems, waste leakage, or another source, this event raises important concerns about aviation safety over densely populated communities in Los Angeles County."

Hahn’s office stated that no injuries were reported in connection with the falling ice. In an interview with local news station KABC, Magana said the piece of ice smelled bad, so she was concerned for their health as they touched it.

"We definitely want to know what it consists of and if it's going to affect our health," she said.

Magana also said flight data showed that a plane was passing directly over the neighborhood at the time of the incident, according to the county news release.

Separate 'dumping' incident in Los Angeles County

The falling ice in Whittier is only the most recent incident where falling debris from planes has landed on homes in the area. Back in 2025, Delta Air Lines agreed to pay more than $78 million to settle a lawsuit over a 2020 fuel dump that rained down in Los Angeles County.

An estimated 60 patients, with at least 20 of them children, suffered minor injuries or other complaints in connection with the falling fuel, according to local news station KTLA.

According to Reuters, Delta denied any wrongdoing and said the move to settle was done to avoid the uncertainty, distraction and cost of litigation.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.