Reports of potentially catastrophic laser strikes aimed at aircraft flying in Minnesota have increased more than 180% since 2015, and are on track this year to reach their highest level yet.

Pilots often describe laser strikes — when someone trains a laser toward the cockpit of an airplane or helicopter, intentionally or not — as a flash, like the sudden pop of a camera's flashbulb. These attacks may temporarily blind or at the very least distract a pilot usually during takeoffs and landings, considered critical phases of flight for planes that may be carrying a hundred passengers or more.

"Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety hazard that puts everyone on the plane and on the ground at risk," Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Whitaker said in a video safety message earlier this year.

There have been no known aircraft accidents related to laser strikes, according to a 2022 watchdog report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). But, given the rising number of laser incidents "the potential for an accident exists," according to the investigation.

It's unclear why laser reports are surging in Minnesota and nationwide, where pilots reported some 13,304 strikes last year, a 41% increase over 2022.

The lasers are widely available to buy online, and at big box and sporting goods retailers for less than $20. They're often used during slideshow presentations, or for sighting handguns and rifles. Sometimes they're deployed during laser shows or for dramatic effect at theme parks and casinos.

The most-common color of lasers trained on aircraft is green — which human vision is especially sensitive to — but some are red, blue and purple. Laser strikes almost always occur at night.

"It's particularly challenging during takeoffs and landings for night operations when your eyes are adjusted to the darkness and the instrument [lights] are turned down to lower levels," said Nick Wilson, an associate professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota (UND).

Why are laser reports increasing?

Experts aren't sure why laser strikes are increasing. The number increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people sheltered in place, but the numbers continue to climb after the outbreak subsided.

"One theory is that, 20 or 30 years ago, it might have been harder to purchase a laser, but now they're pretty easy to get and cheap," Wilson said.

Another reason is that increased awareness about the issue may have spurred pilots to report incidents more frequently, he said. But the FBI says thousands of laser strikes likely go unreported every year.

The FAA did not respond to numerous requests for comment.

Those charged with pointing a laser at aircraft can face civil penalties from the FAA of up to $11,000 for each violation and a maximum fine of $30,800 for multiple incidents. If charged with a felony, penalties may be up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

In addition, Minnesota lawmakers adopted a law in 2009 that makes it a gross misdemeanor to knowingly aim a laser that creates "visible light" into the cockpit of an aircraft.

Beyond big jets, lasers also strike helicopters, some of which may be transporting critically ill or trauma patients, military and police aircraft, and luxury and smaller private planes.

FAA data compiled by the Minnesota Star Tribune revealed 237 reported laser strikes last year in the state, mostly in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport airspace. Laser incidents were reported in Duluth and Rochester, as well.

The diversity of aircraft targeted in Minnesota last year is notable. More than a dozen pilots flying a Cessna-172, the popular general aviation single-engine aircraft, reported laser incidents. Other strikes were trained on Gulfstream luxury and business planes, and military aircraft, including the C-130 transport planes, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, a P-8 Navy patrol plane, and several Black Hawk helicopters.

Most planes targeted were flying below 10,000 feet, although an outlier appears to be a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 jet that was hit by a laser at 41,000 feet in August last year, according to FAA data.

The size of laser beams expands as they travel long distances, said Jason Evans, an assistant professor of aviation at UND.

"It becomes much larger, so it's the size of a basketball when it hits the windscreen," he said. "It can be bright and very disorienting."

In 2023, a Rochester man received a two-year prison term for pointing a laser at a Delta Airbus jet flying from Raleigh-Durham, N.C., to MSP airport three years ago.

The plane was cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet over River Falls, Wis., when the cockpit was lit up three times by a blue laser. Prosecutors said the strikes caused "a major distraction in the cockpit" and the captain of the aircraft said his right eye was affected for several hours afterward.

The captain compared the "sheer brightness" of the laser beam to "suddenly turning on all the lights in a dark room," according to federal court records.

The offender, Nicholas Link, also trained the laser on a Minnesota State Patrol airplane that was dispatched to investigate the initial strikes. Link told prosecutors that he bought the laser at Walmart and used it to play with squirrels and other wildlife. He claimed he was pointing his laser at drones.

Hard to prosecute laser scofflaws

It's difficult to locate and prosecute someone who pointed a laser at a plane, according to the GAO report, which notes subjects are identified in about 1% of the incidents reported to the FAA. That's because incidents almost always occur at night, and lasers are small so they can be easily hidden or thrown away.

Once an incident is reported, "at that point, does the sheriff drive to five or six farmsteads, or start knocking on doors in a more-populated area? There are some practical issues," Wilson said.

In some cases, the FBI may offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information regarding laser strikes. Members of the public who witness these incidents are encouraged to report them.

The FAA asks pilots to file reports once they land, but the response rate has historically been low. Representatives from pilot unions told the GAO that some pilots feel the form is unwieldy and the likelihood of arresting a perpetrator low.

Plus, the report said the FAA does not consistently share information with law enforcement, noting efforts to stem illegal laser activity should continue.