Nearly two dozen aircraft were hit by lasers last night. Shining a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime.
Two flights near Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport were hit by lasers including Southwest Flight 2521, American Airlines Flight 671, and Airbus 321.
More than 20 aircraft were struck by lasers from the ground last night while flying over cities across the United States. Three laser strikes were reported in the New York City/Newark, N.J early in the evening, followed by three incidents in Texas, where jets were struck while preparing to land at Dallas Love Field. By late evening, pilots also reported laser incidents in:
New York/Newark
Dallas
Jamestown, NY
Oakland, CA
Covington, KY
Danville, KY
Palm Springs, CA
Salt Lake City
Los Angeles
Albuquerque
Detroit
Ontario, CA
St. Petersburg, FL
Springfield, IL
San Juan, PR
Sacramento
None of the pilots reported injuries. Nevertheless, shining a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime that the U.S. vigorously pursues. Lasers distract pilots from their safety duties and can lead to temporary blindness during critical phases of flight, such as takeoff and landing. In some cases in the past, pilots have reported eye injuries that required medical treatment.