FAA Investigating Lasers That Struck Dallas Planes
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a warning for Dallas pranksters: Think before you point.
A green laser struck two small planes overnight in Dallas, raising safety concerns in an incident that can be prosecuted as a federal crime. The FAA reported Sunday that two pilots reported seeing the laser shortly after midnight. The planes were heading to Arlington and were about 12 miles south of Dallas Love Field airport when the incident occurred. They were at about 3,000 feet.
Laser lights, which can be purchased on sites such as eBay, can obstruct the vision of a pilot. Unauthorized use of a laser is a federal crime. 22-year-old Kenneth Santodomingo of Dallas got 2.5 years in prison in 2013 after using a laser pointer in the direction of a police helicopter.
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