Pilots reported 12,840 laser strikes to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last year. While that is a 3 percent decrease from 2023, the numbers are still high.
Shining a laser at an aircraft poses a safety threat and is a federal crime. Lasers can incapacitate pilots, many of whom are flying airplanes with hundreds of passengers. Pilots have reported 328 injuries since the FAA began tracking laser strike reports in 2010.
In 2024, pilots reported the highest numbers of laser strikes in the states listed below:
- California - 1,489
- Texas - 1,463
- Florida - 810
- Tennessee - 649
- Illinois - 622
- Arizona - 550
- New York - 531
- Indiana - 512
- Georgia - 416
- Virginia - 415
People who shine lasers at aircraft face FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents. Violators can also face federal criminal penalties of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as state and local penalties.
To identify trends, the FAA’s visualization tool shows laser-strike data from 2010 to present and highlights trends by geographic area, per capita data, time of day and year. The FAA shares the information with the public to draw attention to the high rate.
The FAA encourages people to report laser strikes to the FAA and local law enforcement agencies.
