WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Federal Aviation Administration has said that pilots in the country reported 10,994 laser strikes to it in 2025.
Although it marks a 14 percent decrease from the year before, still the numbers are too high.
Shining a laser at an aircraft poses a serious safety threat and is a federal crime. The FAA conducted outreach and training with local, state, and federal law enforcement throughout the year to combat laser strikes in areas with the highest numbers.
'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,' said Ben Supko, Associate Administrator, Security and Intelligence Organization. 'But even one laser strike is too many when pilots have hundreds of lives in their hands.'
In 2025, the highest numbers of laser strike was reported in California - 1309.
Other states in the Top Ten where pilots reported the highest numbers of laser strikes are Texas - 1,100, Florida - 654, Illinois - 620, Arizona - 574, Washington - 484, Tennessee - 431, Indiana - 370, New York - 369, and Virginia - 353.
Lasers can incapacitate pilots, many of whom are flying airplanes with hundreds of passengers. Pilots have reported 337 injuries since the FAA began tracking laser strike reports in 2010.
People who shine lasers at aircraft face FAA fines of up to $11,000 per violation. They also can face federal criminal penalties of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as well as state and local penalties.
The FAA strongly urged people to report laser strikes to the Administration and local law enforcement agencies, which can help identify location and time trends.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
