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While on a night visual approach to runway 24R at lax, the captain of an E120 experienced flash blindness from a laser beam. The laser had caused blurred vision, and through an eye examination later that evening, the pilot learned that the cornea of his eye had received multiple flash burns.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 354327 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lax |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lax |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 354327 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | faa : investigated Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
While on vectors for a visual approach to runway 24R at lax we were over a college campus. I looked out the right side window to check for traffic. Approximately 1 second later the aircraft was struck by a very bright laser beam coming from the vicinity of that campus. I recovered from the initial flash but within 2 mins was experiencing blurred vision in my right eye. The first officer continued the approach and we landed at lax without further incident. An eye examination later in the evening revealed that the cornea of my right eye suffered multiple flash burns. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this reporter also contacted the local FSDO and sheriff's office. The laser operation was not approved.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WHILE ON A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX, THE CAPT OF AN E120 EXPERIENCED FLASH BLINDNESS FROM A LASER BEAM. THE LASER HAD CAUSED BLURRED VISION, AND THROUGH AN EYE EXAMINATION LATER THAT EVENING, THE PLT LEARNED THAT THE CORNEA OF HIS EYE HAD RECEIVED MULTIPLE FLASH BURNS.
Narrative: WHILE ON VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX WE WERE OVER A COLLEGE CAMPUS. I LOOKED OUT THE R SIDE WINDOW TO CHK FOR TFC. APPROX 1 SECOND LATER THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY A VERY BRIGHT LASER BEAM COMING FROM THE VICINITY OF THAT CAMPUS. I RECOVERED FROM THE INITIAL FLASH BUT WITHIN 2 MINS WAS EXPERIENCING BLURRED VISION IN MY R EYE. THE FO CONTINUED THE APCH AND WE LANDED AT LAX WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AN EYE EXAMINATION LATER IN THE EVENING REVEALED THAT THE CORNEA OF MY R EYE SUFFERED MULTIPLE FLASH BURNS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPTR ALSO CONTACTED THE LCL FSDO AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THE LASER OP WAS NOT APPROVED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.