PHOENIX — People keep shooting planes with high-powered laser pointers and it's becoming a major problem.
In Arizona alone, 558 flights reported dangerous laser strikes in 2023: One of the highest rates in the nation according to a new report from the Federal Aviation Administration.
But the issue isn't just localized to Arizona. Across the nation, the number of "laser attacks" on airplanes is climbing. The FAA received its highest-ever number of reports, with pilots logging 13,304 total laser strikes in 2023... A 41% increase from 2022.
Arizona claimed just over 4% of these incidents, which may not seem like a lot until you account for our state's relatively low population. With only 7.4 million people out of the U.S.'s 331.9 million (2.13% of the population), that's a pretty high rate.
While pointing a laser at a plane might seem harmless on the surface, these high-power beams of light can cause injuries and disorientation to pilots who are often flying planes with hundreds of passengers onboard. Pilots have reported 313 injuries since the FAA began recording data on laser strikes in 2010.
Shining a laser at a plane can carry an FAA fine of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents. That's on top of the potential criminal charges that federal, state and local authorities can levy against someone caught doing it.
The FAA's visualization tool lets you see where and when these strikes are happening most frequently.
Maybe unsurprisingly, most of these strikes happen during the weekend and happen to planes that are close to the ground. Most happen between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
People are encouraged to report laser strikes to the FAA and local authorities.
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