Data: Laser strikes on aircraft trending down statewide but rising on Long Island

New York airports and control towers are on pace for a significant reduction in laser strikes on aircraft this year, even as the number of incidents reported on Long Island remains dangerously high, according to new data released by the FAA.

Through the end of July, the Federal Aviation Administration received reports of 209 laser strikes on pilots across New York State, compared with 531 such incidents in all of 2024, according to agency figures released last week.

Shining a laser at an aircraft can incapacitate pilots as they're flying planes with hundreds of passengers aboard, according to FAA officials.

Robert Schneider, Long Island MacArthur Airport's aviation commissioner, said the drop in laser incidents is a positive step that increases safety for pilots and passengers alike.

"It's certainly positive that the numbers are coming down," Schneider said. "It's a nuisance issue, but it's taken seriously, obviously, because of the potential ramifications of having a laser put into the eyes of a pilot."

While the trend appears to be moving in the right direction across the state, the number of reported incidents has ticked up on Long Island, which accounted for more than 55% of all laser strikes so far this year in New York, data shows.

Through the first seven months of 2025, there have been 118 incidents of lasers pointed at pilots that were reported from Long Island, including 88 at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center in Ronkonkoma, next to MacArthur Airport. The New York Center directs en route air traffic across the state, including the region's major airports such as Kennedy and LaGuardia.

The center directed Newsday inquiries to the FAA, which did not respond to requests for comment.

Another 27 incidents were reported at the Westbury Terminal Radar Approach Control facility, or TRACON, while two were reported at MacArthur and one at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale. An additional 15 incidents were reported at LaGuardia and nine were reported at Kennedy, the data shows.

Last year, there were 164 laser strikes reported from locations on Long Island, compared with 220 incidents in 2023, according to FAA data.

Aviation safety experts said most incidents take place below 10,000 feet, during critical periods such as landings and takeoffs, and often in the evenings.

Michael Canders, an associate professor and certified flight instructor at Farmingdale State College, said shining a laser at an aircraft, particularly at night, can be dangerous not only to the pilot but to everyone on board.

"It can create temporary blindness, or in some cases, permanent blindness," Canders said. "I know pilots who've had that very bad experience. It's just a bad thing to do, and there's really no reason to do it."

Nationwide, laser strikes appear to be trending downward as well.

After surging to 13,304 incidents in 2023 — the highest number since the FAA began tracking incidents in 2010 — the agency received 12,840 reports of laser strikes from pilots in 2024, a 3.5% drop, figures show. Thus far in 2025 through the end of July, there have been 5,913 incidents nationwide.

The FAA said it conducted targeted outreach, training and collaboration with local, state and federal law enforcement during "Laser Enforcement Month" in August in states with the highest incidents of laser strikes. Those states include California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee, New York, Indiana, Virginia and Georgia.

"FAA air traffic control facilities quickly relay pilot laser-strike reports to the appropriate local law enforcement agency, which is in the best position to immediately investigate," the FAA said in a statement. "Local law enforcement can provide invaluable assistance to the FAA by identifying and interviewing potential witnesses, identifying suspects, and identifying and collecting evidence such as video or other visual evidence."

Pilots have reported 328 injuries related to laser incidents since 2010, according to the agency.

Violators could face federal penalties of up to 5 years in prison, plus fines and state and local penalties, according to the FAA. FAA fines are as much as $11,000 per violation and up to $30,800 for multiple laser incidents.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.