FAA: Laser Strikes Reached All-Time High in 2021

Ashley Barajas

Friday, February 04, 2022 at 04:04 PM ET

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Laser strikes have resulted in 244 injuries since 2010. [Courtesy: FAA]

Key Takeaways:

Laser strikes on aircraft reached an all-time high in 2021 with 9,723 reported incidents, marking a 41% increase from 2020.
These strikes are a serious safety hazard, capable of incapacitating pilots and leading to injuries, with 244 reported since 2010.
Shining a laser at an aircraft is illegal and carries severe penalties, including FAA fines up to $11,000 per violation and potential criminal charges.

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Laser strikes reached an all-time high in 2021, according to the FAA, with 9,723 reports of such strikes from pilots last year, up 41 percent from 2020.

“The FAA continues to educate the public about the hazards of laser strikes because they pose such a serious threat to the safety of the pilot, the passengers and everyone in the vicinity of the aircraft,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement Friday.