A comprehensive resource for safe and responsible laser use

US: Man who pointed laser at passenger aircraft turned in by others

A man was arrested for aiming a "high-intensity laser" at an American Airlines Airbus A320 with 136 passenters on May 4, 2021. Flight 2232 originated in Charlotte NC and was 10 miles from landing at the Nashville (Tennessee) International Airport when the crew was illuminated by green laser light.

Police said the laser was first reported by a truck driver on Interstate 40 who was targeted. Then the pilot told the tower that a green laser had come from near a highway. The tower contacted police.

A witness later pointed out to police a hotel room at a Quality Inn in Mt. Juliet, east of downtown Nashville, from where a laser was being aimed out the window. A man in the room was arrested by Mt. Juliet police.

As of May 5, no charges had yet been filed.

From WKRN and WSMV

US: Citizen calls 911, concerned that laser-pointing man would aim at aircraft

The following appeared in a newspaper's list of police blotter reports from Kalispell, Montana:

"A customer leaving a store was concerned a man sitting in an SUV and playing with a green laser pointer in the parking lot would point it at the airstrip to mess with planes."

From the April 1, 2021 Daily Inter Lake. (Despite the date, the story and the account were standard news, not an April Fools joke.)

COMMENTARY FROM LASERPOINTERSAFETY.COM

This is one of the first news items we have seen where a member of the general public notified authorities because of concern about pointing a laser beam at aircraft. It shows a case of a person having knowledge that lasers do present a hazard to aviation, and consequently taking action. This news item has been given a Tag "Notifying authorities" which we will use for any similar stories.