Bay Area Airports Big Targets for Laser Plane Strikes
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KCBS/AP) _ Oakland International and Mineta San Jose International airports rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in the number of reported laser strikes on aircraft, which put the lives of pilots and passengers at risk.
Federal Aviation Administration data show those two California airports rank below only Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles and Phoenix in terms of the frequency of laser strikes on airplanes and helicopters.
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The Federal Aviation Administration says they have received more than 1,500 reports of laser events through Aug. 19 of this year. On Tuesday, a green laser struck a San Jose police pilot and a Santa Clara County sheriff's aerial spotter during a routine helicopter patrol.
One San Jose officer says most people who shine laser pointers at aircraft aren't terrorists, just pranksters, but the devices blind pilots just the same.
