PRISON TIME FOR MISSISSIPPI MAN TARGETING AIRCRAFT WITH LASER

As most readers know, laser strikes on aircraft are highly hazardous to pilots and flight operations. In recent years, such incidents have been on the rise and are illegal at the federal level, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. Many but not all states also have similar laws and consequences for laser targeting of aircraft. Many people familiar with the situation feel it is only a matter of time before a laser strike causes an aircraft tragedy.

In the first seven months of 2021, nearly 50 aircraft inbound into Memphis International (MEM) in Memphis, Tennessee, reported laser strikes which eventually prompted the FAA to report the series of incidents to the FBI. The FBI, in turn, launched an investigation in July, focusing on the areas of Hardeman County, Tennessee, and Benton County, Mississippi, where the lasers appeared to originate. A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation aircraft flying over Hardeman County with surveillance cameras reported laser strikes in August. The cameras pinpointed an individual standing in front of his house pointing a laser at incoming aircraft. Agents on the ground observing the individual apprehended him and recovered a green laser from a trash can in front of the house. The 52-year old man, a resident of Benton County, could face up to 5 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.