Chattanooga pilot says laser strike impaired his co-pilot's vision before landing

A Chattanooga pilot recorded a video of someone flashing a laser at his aircraft while descending in September of last year.

Jackson Wallace says he was flying from Florida and made it to Dalton before a green laser could be seen flashing in his window. 

"It's just like one of those things there's not much you can do about it and were just trying to keep our eyes inside the aircraft at all times," said Wallace.

He says he put his head down and tried to avoid looking into the laser. That's when he told his co-pilot Austin Martin to record the incident. 

"It actually hit me in the eye, and I lost my vision for a couple minutes," said Martin.

Wallace says this has happened several times in the past and quickly reported it to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to the FAA, they received 13,304 reports from pilots last year, a 41 percent increase over 2022.

Shining a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety threat. Many types of high-powered lasers can incapacitate pilots, many of whom are flying airplanes with hundreds of passengers.

Pilots have reported 313 injuries since the FAA began recording data on laser strikes in 2010. 

The FAA strongly encourages the public to report laser strikes to the FAA and local law enforcement agencies.

People who shine lasers at aircrafts face FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents.

Violators can also face criminal penalties from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.