Southwest Airlines scare at RDU, pilot flashed by laser pointer
RALEIGH-DURHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (WTVD) -- Around 10 p.m. Tuesday night, the pilot of Southwest Airlines Flight 1957 called Air Traffic Control to report a green laser being aimed at his aircraft. According to a 911 call, it was believed to be coming from an area five miles northwest of Raleigh near N.C. Highway 147.
Luckily, that pilot wasn't injured and was able to safely land the plane at RDU. However, the FBI is cracking down to try to prevent incidents like this.
It's a phenomenon that Flight Instructor Alexandra Grady with Blue Line Aviation hopes to never experience firsthand.
"A little laser in the right spot is truly like being blinded," says Grady. "You see it as a small pointer, but as it goes up and out through the air it becomes a much bigger spot."
In fact, as a video recently released by the FBI illustrates, a laser pointer can appear as large as two feet across, completely obscuring a pilot's vision, or even causing serious damage to the eyes depending on the laser's strength.
Luckily for the pilot, in this most recent case, he was ok and was still able to land the plane, but it could have been much worse.
"It really could be [worse] especially when you are close to the ground," Grady explains. "It's a huge distraction, and if you do lose sight of the runway, especially if you are just before touchdown, then it really does have an effect on a safe landing."
From Jan. 1 July 25, the U.S. has had almost 2,000 lasers pointed at pilots. Twenty-nine of those were in North Carolina, with nine at RDU, and there were 16 such incidents at RDU the year before.
Because of these high numbers, the FBI is once again warning the public about the dangers of what is often simply called "lasering."
"What if this was your family on that aircraft? You would want them to be safe and protected. The FBI is taking this crime very seriously. We don't want a catastrophe to happen," says John Kitzinger with the FBI.
As the Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit, Kitzinger warns that they will prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.
Interfering with the operation of an aircraft has long been a federal crime, but, in 2012, a new law made it a felony to knowingly point a laser beam at a plane or helicopter. Getting caught can result in five years in prison and $11,000 in fines.
Kitzinger also points out that offenders can even see longer periods of jail time. For example, in March, a 26-year-old man in California was sentenced to 14 years in prison after aiming a laser pointer at a police helicopter and a hospital emergency transport helicopter. In addition, his girlfriend, who was with him at the time, got two years in prison.
The FBI does offer up to $10,000 as a reward for information leading to an arrest in cases like these. If you see someone pointing a laser at aircraft or have information on this latest case, call your local FBI branch or police department.
