Dozen pilots report laser pointing near Sea-Tac Airport
SEA-TAC AIRPORT -- Federal officials are looking for whoever is responsible for shining laser light at flights landing at Sea-Tac Airport on Sunday.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus said the crews of 12 planes reported seeing the laser between 7:10 and 7:30 p.m.
The flights were all about 1,200 feet above the ground while on final approach to the airport when they saw the lasers.
"The thing that's a little unusual about this is that it's 12 of them all within a 20-minute period," Fergus said.
David Campell with the Air Lines Pilots Association said bright laser light isn't likely to jeopardize the safety of passengers, but can be a huge distraction to the pilots.
"We're able to handle this threat, but it's something that we'd rather not (handle)," he said. "The danger is, as you look to find where you are in relation to the airport, the laser beam hits you right directly in the eye. That's the real danger."
On January 29, troopers in a State Patrol airplane were targeted with a laser pointer while they were flying in the Fife area.
The patrol said a trooper was able to use the plane's infrared camera to find the person on the ground who was pointing the laser at the plane.
Pierce County deputies were directed to the home and contacted the person with the laser. Officials said charges in that incident could be filed by the end of the month.
But because commercial aircraft are not equipped with infrared cameras, investigators only had estimations to work with in Sunday's incident.
"One of the pilots reported a fairly accurate position as to where he thought the ground source was," Fergus said.
Police investigated a neighborhood just north of the airport, but have no suspects.
The Patriot Act has made it a federal offense to shine a laser up at a pilot. In Washington, it is a felony to intentionally shine a laser at pilots, police officers, firefighters, or even bus drivers.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus said the crews of 12 planes reported seeing the laser between 7:10 and 7:30 p.m.
The flights were all about 1,200 feet above the ground while on final approach to the airport when they saw the lasers.
"The thing that's a little unusual about this is that it's 12 of them all within a 20-minute period," Fergus said.
David Campell with the Air Lines Pilots Association said bright laser light isn't likely to jeopardize the safety of passengers, but can be a huge distraction to the pilots.
"We're able to handle this threat, but it's something that we'd rather not (handle)," he said. "The danger is, as you look to find where you are in relation to the airport, the laser beam hits you right directly in the eye. That's the real danger."
On January 29, troopers in a State Patrol airplane were targeted with a laser pointer while they were flying in the Fife area.
The patrol said a trooper was able to use the plane's infrared camera to find the person on the ground who was pointing the laser at the plane.
Pierce County deputies were directed to the home and contacted the person with the laser. Officials said charges in that incident could be filed by the end of the month.
But because commercial aircraft are not equipped with infrared cameras, investigators only had estimations to work with in Sunday's incident.
"One of the pilots reported a fairly accurate position as to where he thought the ground source was," Fergus said.
Police investigated a neighborhood just north of the airport, but have no suspects.
The Patriot Act has made it a federal offense to shine a laser up at a pilot. In Washington, it is a felony to intentionally shine a laser at pilots, police officers, firefighters, or even bus drivers.