B757-200 flight crew observed a laser while conducting a night visual approach into sfo.

Attributes
ACN	779258
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival star : tip toe
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	779258
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	779248
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

We were illuminated by an unauthorized bright green laser from the mountains to the left of the aircraft approximately 15 mi from sfo. Both captain and myself saw the bright green light come from the mountains. Light was on just a second or two. Did not notice it hitting in the cockpit. Captain reported laser to sfo approach who seemed to know exactly the area from where the laser came. Both he and tower were asking us questions about the illumination as we were trying to get the aircraft on the ground after the event. Tower even asked us questions on landing roll. While I realize the need for some timely information to warn other aircraft of the danger; perhaps only the essential questions need be asked while the aircraft is in a critical phase of flight and other follow-up questions could have been answered via phone after block-in. By the way; this is the second time I have been illuminated by a laser in the past 2.5 yrs. Is this an increasing trend?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT CREW OBSERVED A LASER WHILE CONDUCTING A NIGHT VISUAL APCH INTO SFO.

Narrative: WE WERE ILLUMINATED BY AN UNAUTH BRIGHT GREEN LASER FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE L OF THE ACFT APPROX 15 MI FROM SFO. BOTH CAPT AND MYSELF SAW THE BRIGHT GREEN LIGHT COME FROM THE MOUNTAINS. LIGHT WAS ON JUST A SECOND OR TWO. DID NOT NOTICE IT HITTING IN THE COCKPIT. CAPT RPTED LASER TO SFO APCH WHO SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY THE AREA FROM WHERE THE LASER CAME. BOTH HE AND TWR WERE ASKING US QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ILLUMINATION AS WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND AFTER THE EVENT. TWR EVEN ASKED US QUESTIONS ON LNDG ROLL. WHILE I REALIZE THE NEED FOR SOME TIMELY INFO TO WARN OTHER ACFT OF THE DANGER; PERHAPS ONLY THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS NEED BE ASKED WHILE THE ACFT IS IN A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT AND OTHER FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS COULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED VIA PHONE AFTER BLOCK-IN. BY THE WAY; THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE BEEN ILLUMINATED BY A LASER IN THE PAST 2.5 YRS. IS THIS AN INCREASING TREND?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.