FAA: Lasers target two more flights near Dallas Love Field

Someone has been pointing lasers at the cockpits of jet aircraft flying over Palo Alto and Mountain View – a potentially unsafe action that could interfere with the pilot’s sight, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In a few cases, pilots have had to turn over the controls to the other pilot to safely land the aircraft, Lunsford said.

The FAA recorded 5,352 laser strikes through October 16, up from 2,837 for all of 2010. This latest laser attack heightens worries by officials who note this unsafe practice can distract or even temporarily blind pilots. But the agency has received reports from planes as low as 200 feet in the air and as high as 15,000 feet, Lunsford said. Eventually he spied several individuals behind a health food store that were shining the laser pointer not only at the new chopper, but also an NYPD helicopter that came to investigate.

Shining a laser at an aircraft has been a federal crime since early 2012 because it’s a safety hazard for planes, pilots and any passengers.

Not all laser strikes are intentional. All three were inbound to Love Field.

The FAA said three different planes were hit by laser beams in the Dallas area Wednesday night.

Phoenix has the second most laser strikes out of any city.

According to an FAA report, a Delta flight on its way to Minneapolis, Minn. was hit with a laser at about 9 p.m. Wednesday near Covington, not far from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky worldwide Airport (CVG).

The FAA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dallas police are investigating. Then, the maximum fine was $11,000.

The ABC 7 helicopter was able to determine the origination of the laser and helped lead police to West Jersey Avenue in Elizabeth, where Stiven Lopez-Bender, 26, was arrested by Elizabeth Police.

Lawmakers are pushing to ban the sale of high-powered, long range lasers, which people who want them know can be relatively cheap and easy to buy.

“We could actually see him standing back outside the building with the laser in his hand shooting at us”, Protsko said.

Two of the Thursday night incidents in NY happened to local CBS and NBC news helicopters over Prospect Heights covering a stolen greyhound bus.

The Dallas Police Department launched its Air 1 helicopter to search for the person with the laser.

No injuries were reported in the incidents, which took place from NY City to Sacramento, and resulted in at least one arrest.