BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — According to the Federal Aviation Administration, more than two dozen laser strike incidents were reported over Bakersfield in 2022. A laser strike in this context refers to when a person on the ground points a laser light at an aircraft in flight. Many may just consider this a prank, but the FAA, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice are warning people that "prank" could lead to prison time.
According to the FAA, when lasers are pointed at an aircraft in flight, they can negatively impact the pilots' ability to see. The Kern County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit advises people not to point lasers at commercial aircraft or KCSO helicopters.
"It's not a game," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar. "It is not a prank. It should be taken seriously."
Escobar says laser strikes should not be taken lightly.
"Bakersfield is a place where we have caught a lot of laser offenders," said Escobar. "The pilot can experience or the tactical flight officer might experience some sort of irritation or burning in the eye, redness in the eye that persists for several hours. There can be temporary injury to the eye."
The FAA says laser strikes can occur anywhere, but have been noted most frequently in the Western, Pacific, and Southern regions of the U.S. In Bakersfield, there was an average of 3 laser strikes reported every month in 2022.
FAA studies have also shown that almost 70 percent of all incidents across the U.S. occurred to aircraft between 2,000 and 10,000 feet above ground level.
For reference, the standard cruising altitude of a typical passenger jet is between 35,000 and 50,000 feet. Airspace between 2,000 and 10,000 feet is usually populated by traffic and police helicopters, air rescue and life-flight, and private craft like cropdusters
Tim Caughron, KCSO Senior Deputy and Air Support Pilot, says laser strikes can affect any pilot, but commercial pilots could be at more risk of danger, considering commercial aircraft pilots do not wear night vision goggles as law enforcement pilots do.
"If we are flying at night, we're using our night vision that we've taken 30 minutes to adapt to, and as soon as that light hits the cockpit, it kind of destroys it, so we lose our ability to see at night, and it can also cause damage and irritation to our eyes," said Caughron.
According to Caughron, when an aircraft is struck with a laser, the beam will enter the cockpit through the glass window and then refract the light, causing a dazzling effect inside the cockpit. It isn't just one pilot or one person the light hits. The glass causes the laser light to bounce around, blinding everyone in the cockpit.
Caughron says nobody should ever point a laser at an aircraft in flight for any reason. Lasers are not toys and should be treated with respect.
"When they [pilots] are on a close approach to the airport and they get illuminated by a laser, it could very much be disastrous," said Caughron. "We ask people to really understand the dangers of it. If you see your kids pointing them into the sky or the air, please encourage them to keep them on the ground. We encourage people to treat them with the respect they deserve."
And according to Escobar, anyone caught pointing a laser at an aircraft can face stiff fines and even prison time.
"You could be charged with a federal offense. California also has a crime, however, the state needs to prove that the power of the laser beam exceeds one milliwatt. There is no such requirement federally," said Escobar. "Anyone who aims a beam of a laser at an aircraft could be subject to up to 5 years in prison at the federal level."
If you see someone on the ground pointing a laser at an aircraft and want to report the unsafe situation, you may contact the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111 or the Kern County Sheriff's Office at 861-3110.
