Amazon Prime Air delivery drone crashes into Richardson apartment; no injuries reported

An Amazon Prime Air delivery drone struck the exterior of an apartment building on Routh Creek Parkway in Richardson during an afternoon delivery, sent the aircraft to the ground and produced visible smoke, video from a resident shows. Firefighters responded, inspected the scene and reported no blaze. No injuries were reported and the building sustained only minimal damage, Amazon said.

Resident videographer Cessy Johnson posted footage to Instagram on Feb. 5 showing the drone moving slowly toward the side of the building before making contact, fragments falling to the ground, and smoke coming from the aircraft after it landed. Johnson told reporters, "The propellers on the thing were still moving, and you could smell it was starting to burn," and added, "And you see a few sparks in one of my videos." Local TV crews and national outlets circulated the clips; one local update was posted the morning of Feb. 6.

Amazon officials confirmed a Prime Air drone "in vertical flight struck the outside" of the building before going to the ground, and a company spokesperson said, "We apologize for any inconvenience and are actively investigating the cause of this incident." Amazon also said the apartment building "sustained minimal damage" and the company is coordinating repairs.

Reporting identifies the aircraft as a Prime Air MK30 platform. Prime Air drones operating from Amazon’s Research Drive facility in Richardson are designed to carry packages up to five pounds within a 7–8 mile radius. Program materials and prior reporting describe a Safe Contingent Landing (SCL) procedure that switches a drone from forward to vertical flight and scans for a clear landing spot when it detects unexpected conditions; Amazon has not said whether that procedure was invoked in this case.

The Richardson incident comes amid broader questions about drone operations in populated areas. The MK30 was involved in an earlier November incident in Waco in which it clipped an internet cable and suffered minor propeller damage; investigators did not launch an NTSB probe into that event. Analysts and industry observers have pointed to obstacle avoidance, contingency landings and operational rollout as areas to watch as delivery drones expand in suburban neighborhoods.

For Collin County residents, the crash underscores what can happen when autonomous aircraft operate close to homes. Prime Air began making deliveries in Richardson late last year, and neighbors who had not seen drone deliveries before filmed and shared the footage. Fire officials, apartment property managers and Amazon representatives are the logical next contacts for anyone seeking details about property damage or safety inspections.

Amazon’s investigation and any follow-up from federal aviation authorities will determine whether changes to flight procedures, local operating hours or notification practices are required. In the near term, residents can expect Amazon to coordinate repairs and for local officials to review incident reports as the company and emergency responders document what happened.