Seemingly innocent prank is a serious federal offense

Video for public distribution: Courtesy of OSHP and Toledo PD 
https://vimeo.com/1154052511/1f6e9c6c69?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

[Cleveland and Toledo, OH]  FBI Cleveland and its Toledo Resident Agency, together with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Toledo Police Department, are reminding the public to keep laser pointers out of the sky, understand the threat that lasers pose to pilots, and the state and federal criminal implications perpetrators will face when prosecuted, which may include heavy fines and prison time.

Laser strikes toward aircraft are considered serious safety threats and are a federal violation. When a laser beam enters a cockpit, it can temporarily blind or disorient pilots and their crew. What might seem like a tiny beam on the ground can potentially cause a midair collision or other incident.  

FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen

“While pointing a laser at aircraft may seem trivial or playful, the reality is that is puts the pilot in danger due to the reach and amplification of the beam. Whether done intentionally or accidentally, make no mistake, advances in technology have allowed law enforcement to respond within moments to find, identify, and apprehend the perpetrator, and we will bring that person to justice.”

Captain Justin Cromer, commander of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Aviation Unit

Flight crew safety is our top priority—not only for our own aviation personnel, but for every pilot and crew member operating in Ohio’s airspace. Laser strikes pose a serious danger and can cause temporary blindness or lasting vision damage. Anyone who aims a laser at an aircraft is putting lives at risk in the air and on the ground, and we will work to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.”

Across Northern Ohio, laser strikes have targeted not only commercial aircraft, but also medical flights, military planes, helicopters, and smaller student aviation airplanes.

Sgt. Mohamad Nasser, Toledo Police Department

“Local law enforcement agencies across Ohio work with federal partners to address the serious danger of laser strikes on aircraft. Pointing a laser at a plane or helicopter can distract or blind pilots and put lives at risk. Police take these incidents seriously and will investigate reports to identify those responsible. Please help keep our community safe, never point a laser at an aircraft.”

According to the FAA, pilots reported 10,121 laser strikes to the FAA in 2025 and of those, 262 were reported in Ohio. While the U.S. Air Force Safety Center’s webpage dedicated to the issue notes that “aircrew are issued laser eye protection glasses before each flight, know that these incidents are both dangerous and illegal. 

The issue of laser strikes can also have a counterterrorism nexus. Sometimes, the FBI needs to determine whether someone purposefully aimed a laser at an aircraft in an attempt to bring it down.

Green Lasers Raise Red Flags 

In the mid-2000s, as green lasers started becoming more popular with consumers than red ones, the FBI started receiving reports from pilots being struck by green-colored beams

When laser beams hit cockpit windows, the glare they create can cause flash blindness, a condition in which vision is affected after exposure to the source of light,

The Science Behind the Risk 

Laser pointers don’t need to be pointed directly into a pilot’s eye to do damage.

If you’re on the ground aiming a laser pointer at a plane or a helicopter, it’s not just that little, tiny point. Once a laser beam reaches the aircraft, cockpit windows reflect it, filling the space with blinding light. By the time it reaches the cockpit, and the pilot is looking out, that beam of light might be the size of a watermelon or a cantaloupe.

And, according to the FAA, laser beams—and their reflections—can be especially dangerous to pilots if they pop into their fields of view while they have their sights set on something far away—such as a runway. 

FFA writes-

“Laser exposure is most hazardous when a direct laser beam, or its specular (mirrorlike) reflection, enters the pupil along the axis of vision when the eye is focused on a distant object.The energy density of the laser beam can be intensified up to 100,000 times by the focusing action of the eye.” The further the laser is from an aircraft, the wider the light beam grows. 

When FBI agents seize laser pointers used in these kinds of strikes, they give the pointers to physicists and other laser specialists for scientific analysis. These experts then determine that laser’s strength and chart out the relative diameter of its beam based on the distance between the laser pointer and the aircraft it targeted. And because of how the human eye perceives light, green is the most dangerous color of laser that an aircraft can be struck with, an FAA brochure explains. The FBI most often hears reports of strikes by green and purple beams. 

If an aircraft is hit with a laser, the best-case scenario would be a distracted pilot, which could still lead to “any number of errors. But if a laser strike damages pilots’ retinas and corneas, that could cause them to make “all sorts of other failures that could be catastrophic,” potentially resulting in “a mass casualty event. 

Investigating Laser Strikes 

The first federal laser law was enacted in 2012, when Congress passed it as part of the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.  

The 2012 federal statute makes it illegal for people to “knowingly” point a laser pointer’s beam “at an aircraft”—whether private, commercial, or military—or its flight path. Most importantly, it attaches consequences to this action: A monetary fine of up to $250,000 and/or a federal prison sentence of up to five years. On top of that, the FAA’s website notes that it “can impose civil penalties of up to $11,000” each time someone aims a laser beam at an aircraft. Shining a laser pointer at an aircraft carries a five-year maximum penalty felony, sending strong message.

According to the FAA, the profile of individuals responsible for laser strikes differs between different locations of the country. But when it comes to FBI investigations into such incidents, typically, we’re looking for that person who’s intentionally tracking an aircraft, who does it over and over.

Red flags for FBI investigators include: 

  • A laser beam that follows an aircraft as it moves 
  • A laser beam that keeps coming at an aircraft, even after its position has changed 
  • Clusters of laser strikes reports from aircraft traversing the same stretch of airspace 

The FBI commonly catches laser strike offenders in collaboration with federal and local law enforcement partners.

The universally accepted procedure is that an air traffic controller notifies local law enforcement dispatch, who will then notify law enforcement air units and ground patrols, if available, the FAA said. 

From there, if a local police helicopter deploys to the scene and gets lased, they can use technology like infrared cameras to pinpoint the exact location the laser beam came from.

Helicopter crews can then reach out to their agencies for on-the-ground backup or call the FBI for assistance. 

FBI partnerships with local, state, and federal partners—as well as with commercial airlines—are key to ensuring that members of the aviation and law enforcement communities know how to seek the Bureau’s help in addressing laser strikes. This is especially important in states and municipalities that lack laser-strike laws of their own, since local or state authorities can ask the FBI to investigate incidents in those areas as federal crimes. 

Help Us Protect the Skies 

We’ve all likely mistaken an airplane for a star or other celestial body at least once in our lives. But pointing out a possible star with a laser could endanger the aircrew if your suspicion is wrong. For this reason, it’s best to keep your laser pointers out of the sky. 

If you spot someone aiming a laser at the sky in a suspicious manner, you can report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or visiting tips.fbi.gov. Your identity can remain anonymous. You can also report laser strikes to the FAA. 

Additionally, you should contact the FBI immediately if you see someone playing with lasers near—or otherwise posing a threat to—an airport. 

Finally, if you’re thinking of gifting a laser pointer to someone—especially if they’re a minor—educate them on the very real dangers of misusing these devices. Preventing one teenager from ending up with federal or state charges or even the large fine, is a win. More so, preventing one catastrophe or one pilot from being blinded is the goal.