Number of lasers pointed at pilots in Arizona is down. Why the FAA says it’s not enough

Arizona had some of the nation’s most frequent reports of lasers pointed at aircraft in 2024, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which said lasers posed a severe danger to pilots, passengers, and everyone above a flight path.

The FAA received 550 reports from pilots in Arizona skies who were struck by a laser, which put Arizona sixth on a list of the states with the most reports of laser-related incidents.

At the top of the list in 2024 was California, with 1,489 reports, followed by Texas with 1,463, Florida with 810, Tennessee with 649, and Illinois with 662.

Nationwide, there were nearly 13,000 laser strikes reported by pilots in the U.S., a 3% decrease from last year but which the FAA said still remained too high.

The number in Arizona was also down, but only slightly, with 558 laser incidents reported by pilots in 2023.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the state’s busiest airport, handles hundreds of flights daily over the Phoenix area, home to approximately 5 million people.

“Lasers can incapacitate pilots, many of whom are flying airplanes with hundreds of passengers,” the FAA said in an announcement.

Since the FAA began tracking laser incidents in 2010, 328 pilots have sustained injuries from laser strikes. Pilots hit by a laser often experience temporary vision disruptions, including glare, afterimages, or blind spots.

The FAA said people who shine lasers at aircraft face FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents, and that violators can also face federal criminal penalties of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as state and local penalties.

In 2019, a man from Mesa was arrested on suspicion of aiming a laser pointer at a Mesa police helicopter.

In 2016, a man was arrested and accused of pointing a laser at several aircraft at different Valley airports, including Sky Harbor.

The agency has asked pilots to report laser incidents to a dedicated online webpage.

What we know: Sky Harbor airport had 10 near-crashes in the past decade

Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@gannett.com. Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here’s where the FAA says Arizona ranks for laser incidents for pilots