http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/12/63607019.shtml?Element_ID=63607019
"FBI investigating laser that hit plane leaving Nashville"
Associated Press
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The FBI and other federal officials are investigating an incident yesterday in which a laser beam hit an airliner as it was leaving Nashville International Airport bound for Chicago.
The Transportation Security Administration and the FBI said United Airlines Flight 7136 was flashed by a laser while it was at about 3,000 feet. An FBI spokesman said the flight landed safely in Chicago."
This is an excellent link to an April, 2001 FAA report regarding the use of laser pointers. I saw this link on the thread regarding the TN incident. I'll put the abstract and some snipets here to give you an idea of what's in the report. The link for the full report follows but you'll need Adobe to read it.
Abstract:
INTRODUCTION. Laser pointers have been used for years to highlight key areas on charts and screens during visual presentations. When used in a responsible manner, laser pointers are not considered hazardous. While momentary ocular exposure to the light emitted by these devices can be startling to the observer and may result in temporary visual impairments, such exposures are too brief to cause any permanent ocular injury. However, as the availability of laser pointers has increased, so have reports of their misuse by some children and adults. In recent years, both the Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy of Ophthalmology have issued warnings concerning the possibility of eye injury from handheld laser pointers and recommended keeping these devices away from children. The purpose of this report was to investigate the illumination of aircraft by laser pointers in the National Airspace System. CASE REPORTS. From January 1996 to July 1999, the FAA's Western-Pacific region identified more than 150 incidents in which low-flying aircraft were illuminated by lasers. Laser pointers were used in the majority of these incidents, and there were several occurrences of visual impairment to the pilot. Representative examples of documented reports are presented that involved the illumination of civilian flight crew members by these hand-held devices.
CONCLUSIONS. Laser pointers have caused ocular injury and may compromise aviation safety when used to illuminate aircraft in critical phases of flight. The physiological effects of exposure to laser light and the regulation and classification of commercial laser products are discussed. The proper selection and use of these devices can minimize the threat of temporary incapacitation and eye injury.
Snipets:
1. (For the period January 1996 to July 1999) - Many of the reported incidents involved laser pointer illuminations of civilian transport, medical evacuation, law-enforcement, military, and private aircraft. Several incidents resulted in visual impairment (glare, flashblindness) of illuminated crew members. The survey suggests that helicopters are the most vulnerable to threat of laser pointer illumination, due to their relatively slow movement and low-altitude flight.
2. In August 1996, a police helicopter in Seminole County, FL, was illuminated by a red spot of light the size of a basketball, leading the pilot to believe a laser-sighted weapon was aimed at the aircraft. It was determined that the perpetrators were two local individuals shining a laser pointer into the trees, not realizing the light beam could reach the helicopter.
3. In June, 2000, a 15-year-old boy was booked into the Youth Service Center, Seattle, WA, for first-degree unlawful discharge of a laser, a felony, after reportedly flashing a laser beam at the King County Sheriff's helicopter, Guardian One. Shortly after 11 p.m., Guardian One was about 1,200 feet AGL just east of Renton when the laser illuminated the helicopter...
4. Green laser pointers are relatively new devices that emit a 532-nm beam of light. This wavelength is near the eye's peak sensitivity, resulting in exceptional visibility and brilliance...
5. The most serious recorded aviation incident occurred on October 29, 1997, when an Airworld Airbus carrying passengers enroute from Crete, was illuminated by laser light about two miles from Manchester Airport (England) at an altitude of 600 feet AGL. While the plane was in approach, the captain was forced to look away as a laser pointer illuminated the cockpit...
6. In the United States, there have been numerous reports of laser pointers illuminating aircraft in flight. The City of Los Angeles Department of Airports has reported several laser illuminations around their airports... Reports of laser incidents from the Sacramento, CA, and Tucson, AZ, areas have also been documented...
7. The danger from laser pointer illumination is the visible beam hitting an aircraft's windshield, which can scatter light and completely obliterate a pilot's forward vision. In low-level flight, such as that of emergency medical or police helicopters, this type of exposure can substantially increase the risk of accidents due to temporary visual incapacitation, startle effects, spatial disorientation, or the loss of situational awareness...
http://www.hf.faa.gov/docs/508/docs/cami/0107.pdf
TRENTON, NJ-January 2, 2005 — Several people are questioned about two incidents in which laser beams were aimed at aircraft flying over Morris County. But no arrests have been made so far.
Both aircraft were targeted by the lasers this week in the vicinity of Teterboro Airport. On Wednesday night, a pilot preparing to land the jet saw three green laser beams about eleven miles from the airport.
And on Friday, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police helicopter was hit by a laser.
No injuries were reported in either incident. They remain under investigation by state and federal authorities.
FBI: Laser Beams Aimed Into Cockpits 6 Times Recently (12/30/04)
Laser Beams Could Temporarily Blind Pilots
UPDATED: 2:51 PM EST December 30, 2004 WASHINGTON -- An FBI official said there have been six recent incidents involving laser beams being aimed into cockpits of commercial airliners.
A federal law enforcement official said the bureau is investigating one such report in Cleveland and two in Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as three others.
The first three took place on Monday, and all planes involved landed safely. There's no word on when or where the other three incidents occurred, although the official indicated they all happened over the last four days.
In the Cleveland incident, authorities say a laser beam was directed into the cockpit of a commercial jet traveling 300 mph at more than 8,500 feet. The plane arriving from Washington, D.C., was about 15 miles from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport when the beam appeared. An FBI agent said it remained for several seconds, like the plane was being tracked.
The FBI is investigating whether it was a prank or whether there was another motive. Authorities said the laser had to have been fairly sophisticated to track a plane traveling at that altitude.
The FBI believes the laser beam prankster used a laser beam that is common to the construction industry, according to Cleveland TV station WEWS. It is relatively powerful, and is generally used to mark or level job sites before construction begins.
A recent memo sent to law enforcement agencies said there's evidence that terrorists have explored using lasers as weapons. But authorities said there is no specific intelligence showing al-Qaida or other groups might use such weapons in the United States.
Interfering with flight crews is a federal felony. Laser beams can distract or temporarily blind a pilot. A person who is convicted of the crime could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Federal Aviation Administration regulations mandate that laser light shows must register their locations and the lights cannot be directed above 3,000 feet.
U.S. Air Flight #98 from Philadelphia to London Returns to Philadelphia (1/2/05)
This story is being reported by the local Philadelphia ABC news station. So far there is no story on their web site...or via Google to verify.
They are reporting that last night (1/2/05) U.S Air flight #98 was three hours into the flight to London, and then returned to Philadelphia for some unknown reason. They are saying that no additional information is being given at this time. I will update with additional info. as it is reported...unless of course this story just vanishes with no additional update.