Record Number of Laser Strikes Reported by FAA in 2023

A total of 13,304 laser incidents marks a 41 percent increase from the previous year.

Jonathan Welsh

Thursday, February 01, 2024 at 02:29 PM ET

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Pilots increasingly face the threat of people pointing lasers at their aircraft. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Reported laser strikes on aircraft reached a record high of 13,304 in 2023, marking a 41 percent increase over the previous year.
Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal offense, and the FAA is working with law enforcement to pursue significant civil (up to $30,800 for multiple violations) and criminal penalties against offenders.
Laser strikes pose a serious safety hazard, capable of incapacitating pilots and causing eye injuries, with 313 such injuries reported since 2010.
The FAA is raising public awareness about the dangers and encourages people to report laser strikes to the agency or local law enforcement.

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The FAA said it received 13,304 reports of laser strikes from pilots last year, marking a 41 percent increase over the 9,457 reported during 2022 and setting a record for the growing hazard.

The agency said it is raising public awareness of how dangerous laser strikes are and that pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal offense. The FAA is working with law enforcement across the country to address the problem. Its efforts include pursuing civil and criminal penalties against people who purposely aim a laser at an aircraft.