A foul-smelling block of what looked like dirty ice crashed through the roof of a backyard accessory dwelling unit in Whittier on Friday morning, blasting a hole in the ceiling and scattering shards across the living area. The tenant was badly shaken but unhurt after calling the homeowner at about 11:18 a.m., and firefighters later inspected the structure to make sure it was safe to occupy.
Homeowner Thania Magana said she sped over after her tenant, Yuder Grau, phoned in what sounded like an “explosion.” When she walked into the ADU, she found large chunks of ice on the couch, the table and the kitchen counter. According to NBC Los Angeles, Grau noticed a strong, foul odor coming from the pieces, so the family bagged up samples and stashed them in a freezer while they tried to figure out what had just fallen from the sky.
NBC Los Angeles also spoke with KNBC meteorologist and licensed private pilot David Biggar, who said material can sometimes accumulate and freeze on aircraft systems, then break off in flight. “Depending on what it is, it could potentially be gray water,” Biggar told NBC4. He added that modern aircraft use heaters and other safeguards that are meant to prevent that kind of incident, which helps explain why such cases are considered rare.
Possible Causes And Similar Sky-Falling Mysteries
Investigators and aviation experts usually sort these incidents into two main categories, both of which have turned up in past case files. Guidance from the Civil Aviation Authority’s CAP 562 describes how leaks or failed drain heaters can create clear or discolored ice linked to aircraft potable water or lavatory systems, which can then fall onto homes and yards below. Aviation reference SKYbrary notes a second, much rarer culprit, so-called megacryometeors, unusually large blocks of clear ice that can form under specific and still not fully understood atmospheric conditions.
Officials, Airlines And The Ongoing Investigation
Magana told reporters that she checked flight-tracking data around the time of the incident and narrowed the possibilities to one Southwest flight and two Delta flights overhead. She said both airlines told NBC4 they had no reported maintenance irregularities tied to those planes. The Federal Aviation Administration had not yet received a formal report about the Whittier ice fall, but the agency reviews credible reports of debris and aircraft-related hazards and will examine submissions that come in, according to the FAA’s public guidance. Magana said firefighters evaluated the ADU for structural safety and she planned to cover the damaged roof with a tarp ahead of expected rain.
What Neighbors Should Do If Mystery Debris Lands Nearby
Officials advise that if you find strange debris on your property, your first move should be to document it with photos, avoid touching it with bare hands and keep any samples sealed so investigators can test them if needed. Residents are urged to contact their local non-emergency police or fire department and to preserve any evidence, since investigators may rely on physical samples combined with flight records to zero in on a possible source…