Another Sea-Tac flight targeted with laser

Summary

One week after a dozen pilots reported a laser being aimed at a their aircraft, another flight heading into Sea-Tac Airport was targeted with a laser beam Sunday evening.

Story Published: Mar 1, 2009 at 10:55 PM PST

Story Updated: Mar 2, 2009 at 7:11 AM PST

Another Sea-Tac flight targeted with laser

This photo provided by the Washington State Patrol shows a green laser shined at a State Patrol aircraft on January 29, 2009.

SEA-TAC AIRPORT -- One week after a dozen pilots reported a laser being aimed at a their aircraft, another flight heading into Sea-Tac Airport was targeted with a laser beam Sunday evening.

Airport officials said the crew of a Horizon Airlines plane reported seeing a bright green laser light about 6:30 p.m. as the flight was trying to land.

The flight was arriving from Portland and was north of Boeing Field in Seattle when someone pointed a laser at the aircraft.

Seattle police, the FAA and TSA officials are all investigating and trying to determine if Sunday's incident is related to last week's, when 12 planes reported seeing a laser between 7:10 and 7:30 p.m. while on final approach to the airport.

It is a federal offense to shine a laser at a plane in flight.

David Campbell with the Air Lines Pilots Association said last week that 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."