American Airlines. Photo: Shutterstock The crew of American Airlines Flight 3114 reported that the cockpit was illuminated by a blue laser during the landing approach at Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) in North Carolina. The incident occurred on Thursday, January 29, at approximately 7:00 am (local time), when the plane was only about 5 miles from the airport.
Despite the unusual incident, the flight landed safely and without injuries. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notified local authorities and launched an investigation to determine the source of the laser and those responsible for the incident.
Laser illumination of aircraft, particularly the cockpit, is considered one of the most dangerous safety hazards in civil aviation. A laser beam, even from a small and inexpensive device, may cause temporary blinding, vision impairment, loss of focus, and even momentary confusion in pilots, especially during critical phases of flight such as takeoff or landing.
A brief exposure may be enough to impair pilots' ability to read instruments or maintain an accurate flight path.
Every year, thousands of incidents involving lasers being shone at aircraft are reported in the US and around the world, with major airports and urban areas as the main hotspots. Over the past two years, following a temporary decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number has once again increased.
Authorities in the US and many countries around the world are waging an ongoing fight against the phenomenon, which includes cooperation between aviation authorities, police and local authorities and the use of technological means to locate the source of the beam. In the US, for example, intentionally illuminating an aircraft with a laser could result in fines of up to $10,000 and even imprisonment.
The FAA continues to investigate the incident in Charlotte.