USA (WGNS) - Pilots across the country reported 10,994 laser strikes to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2025 — a drop from the year before, but still a number that aviation officials say is far too high. Tennessee once again landed in the national top ten, ranking seventh for the most reported laser strikes on aircraft. As officials here like to say, we’re not number one, but being seventh in the nation is nothing to brag about.

The FAA continues to warn that shining a laser at an aircraft is not only dangerous, it’s a federal crime. Even a small handheld laser can flood a cockpit with blinding light, creating a sudden flash that can disorient pilots at the worst possible moment. The danger is highest during takeoff and landing, when pilots rely heavily on visual cues. Since the FAA began tracking these incidents in 2010, pilots have reported 337 injuries linked to laser exposure.

Ben Supko, Associate Administrator for the FAA’s Security and Intelligence Organization, said the slight decline in incidents is encouraging but not enough. “Laser strikes are decreasing, thanks to a strong pilot reporting culture that is providing the data we need for community engagement and work with local law enforcement,” he said. “But even one laser strike is too many when pilots have hundreds of lives in their hands.”

In 2025, the states with the highest number of laser strikes were California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, Washington, Tennessee, Indiana, New York, and Virginia. Tennessee recorded 431 incidents — a number that keeps the state on the FAA’s radar for targeted outreach and law‑enforcement coordination.

The consequences for offenders are steep. People who point lasers at aircraft can face up to five years in federal prison, fines up to $250,000, and FAA civil penalties of $11,000 per violation. Some cases involving multiple strikes have resulted in penalties exceeding $30,000.

The FAA urges anyone who witnesses a laser strike to report it immediately to both local law enforcement and the agency. Detailed reporting helps identify hot-spots and trends — and, officials hope, keeps Tennessee’s skies safer for everyone.

What Lasers are Typically Seen by Pilots and Used by Those on the Ground? - According to the FBI, the lasers most commonly aimed at aircraft are high-powered, green-colored handheld devices that are widely available for purchase online and through various retailers, sometimes mislabeled or illegally modified to exceed legal power limits. Green lasers are particularly dangerous because their wavelength appears brighter to the human eye—especially at night—making them more visible over long distances and more disruptive to pilots in dark cockpit conditions. While standard laser pointers sold for presentations are limited in output, stronger unauthorized versions can emit intense beams capable of causing temporary blindness, flash blindness, glare, and even permanent eye damage. When directed at an aircraft, the concentrated light can disorient or incapacitate flight crews during critical phases of flight, including takeoff and landing. Federal authorities stress that aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious federal offense punishable by substantial fines and potential imprisonment, underscoring the significant safety risks such actions pose to passengers and crew alike.

More Details to Better Understand the Dangerouns Situation: 

• The information on green lasers, along with the dangers that they can cause, can be seen in a 2024 release that was posted by the FBI in 2024. To see that report and the numbers documented by the FBI for the 2023 year, which may give better understanding to the above most recently released numbers from the FAA, Click Here. 
  
  
• To read more about the most recent FAA report, released this month by the federal authorities, Click Here.
  
  
• To turn in a suspect or suspects tied to laser pointing incidents, contact the FAA (Click Here for a direct link to report incident).