Laser Events Affecting Pilots Are Becoming Surprisingly Common

Both innocent and malicious pranksters have caused real issues for aviators and air traffic controllers alike.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 09:10 AM ET

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You’re most likely to be affected by laser strikes at low altitudes, in critical phases of flight, and at night. [File Photo Courtesy: NBAA]

Key Takeaways:

Laser strikes on aircraft are a prevalent and serious threat, with over 18,000 reported in 2021-2022, posing risks of pilot injury, temporary blindness, and potential loss of aircraft control.
Upon a laser event, pilots are instructed to prioritize flight safety and immediately report specific details to Air Traffic Control (ATC), who follow a comprehensive checklist to log the incident, alert law enforcement, and issue warnings to other aircraft.
Shining a laser at an aircraft is a serious offense, considered a federal felony, and can result in severe state and federal penalties including fines and imprisonment, especially if injuries or damage occur, with law enforcement actively apprehending offenders.
Pilots are urged to report all laser incidents to ATC and relevant authorities to ensure documentation, facilitate law enforcement action, and prevent future occurrences.

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Many of us have played with lasers at some point. We should know that even the small ones can damage our eyes. While smaller lasers are generally safe for short periods, the bigger ones are potentially harmful, even from miles away.

What pilots do and how they are trained are one story, but we’ll stick mainly to what air traffic control (ATC) does whenever it hears “laser” or “my eye!” We’ll also discuss some aftermaths of such events.