FAA investigating after someone shined laser into a plane near Miami
MIAMI - The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after someone shined a laser into a plane at Miami International Airport.
According to the FAA, the flight crew of Frontier Airlines 2355, an Airbus A320, reported being illuminated by a red laser on Monday night around 11:55 p.m. No injuries were reported.
Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety hazard that puts everyone on the plane and on the ground below at risk, according to the FAA. Many high-powered lasers can incapacitate pilots flying aircraft that may be carrying hundreds of passengers. To combat the threat, the FAA asked laser manufacturers to add a warning label to their packaging to make consumers aware of the safety risks and federal laws when using lasers.
Shining a laser into an aircraft is illegal under federal law. People who are caught face fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents. The FAA issued $120,000 in fines for laser strikes in 2021.
Pilots reported 9,500 laser strikes to the FAA in 2022. Two hundred and seventy-eight pilots have reported an injury from a laser strike to the FAA since 2010.
