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:

Laser strikes on aircraft surged to a record 13,304 incidents in 2023, a 41% increase from 2022, posing serious safety hazards to pilots and passengers, including 313 reported injuries since 2010.
The FAA is actively combatting this growing threat by raising public awareness, collaborating with law enforcement nationwide, and pursuing significant civil and criminal penalties against individuals who aim lasers at aircraft.
Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal offense, with potential civil penalties up to $11,000 per violation, and the FAA encourages the public to report such incidents to help mitigate this safety risk.

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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.