CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Police are investigating after an airliner pilot on approach to Gerald R. Ford International Airport said a laser was pointed into his cockpit on Saturday night.
It’s at least the third similar incident at the metro Grand Rapids airport in recent years.
The pilot of a Delta flight saw the green flash coming from the Bailey’s Grove subdivision, west of the airport.
“The pilot called in to air traffic control and basically said they were around two miles out and had a green laser pointed into the cockpit,” airport Marketing Director Tara Hernanadez told 24 Hour News 8.
Air controllers called Kentwood police, as well as the FBI and Transportation Security Administration.
The plane landed safely.
YouTube video shows what happens when a laser is pointed into the cockpit of an aircraft and the narrow beam of light starts bouncing off the interior of the plane. It can cause some real problems for pilots at one of the most critical points of a flight.
“Taking off and landing at an airport is a crucial time when you’re in a plane, so it’s important to know, you might think of it as just a fun piece, a laser that can’t do any harm, but it can really do more harm than good,” Hernandez said.
Someone caught pointing a laser at an aircraft could face felony charges.
Story and video: http://woodtv.com
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