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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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| Attributes | |
| ACN | 975686 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201110 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | PHX.Tower |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown |
Narrative:
The first officer was the pilot flying the visual approach for runway 26. At approximately 1;100 ft AGL; having just finished scanning the airport and runway environment; I noticed in the corner of my eye a bright green light being emitted just over the nose of the aircraft from the ground. Since it was peculiar that a green light would be flashing in the darkness below; I looked at the green light directly and it filled my eyes with intensity. I immediately felt some pain in my left eye; followed by seeing dark spots in my vision. From the intensity of the light beam and the pain in my left eye; I knew immediately that my eye had been hit by a laser. I reported this to my first officer and asked him if he had seen a green laser light. He answered that he did not. He asked me if my vision was impaired. I answered yes; but only in my left eye. I instructed him to continue the approach and landing. After landing; we taxied safely to the gate. We reported the incident to the control tower. They mentioned that they had two aircraft hit by a green laser the night before. The next day; I visited a doctor [and] he reported that I had two abrasions on my left eye. He prescribed an antibiotic and that my eye should heal up in about 2-3 days.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: An A320 Captain reported he sustained abrasions on his eye after being targeted by a laser on approach to PHX.
Narrative: The First Officer was the pilot flying the visual approach for Runway 26. At approximately 1;100 FT AGL; having just finished scanning the airport and runway environment; I noticed in the corner of my eye a bright green light being emitted just over the nose of the aircraft from the ground. Since it was peculiar that a green light would be flashing in the darkness below; I looked at the green light directly and it filled my eyes with intensity. I immediately felt some pain in my left eye; followed by seeing dark spots in my vision. From the intensity of the light beam and the pain in my left eye; I knew immediately that my eye had been hit by a laser. I reported this to my First Officer and asked him if he had seen a green laser light. He answered that he did not. He asked me if my vision was impaired. I answered yes; but only in my left eye. I instructed him to continue the approach and landing. After landing; we taxied safely to the gate. We reported the incident to the Control Tower. They mentioned that they had two aircraft hit by a green laser the night before. The next day; I visited a doctor [and] he reported that I had two abrasions on my left eye. He prescribed an antibiotic and that my eye should heal up in about 2-3 days.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.