Laser strike reported on Boeing 737 over northern Wisconsin
A Boeing 737 was illuminated by a laser while cruising over northern Wisconsin, prompting a search for a suspect that turned up nothing. No disruption to the flight was reported.
Boeing 737 (all variants)Boeing 737 (all variants)
A Boeing 737 was struck by a laser beam over northern Wisconsin on Sunday evening, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said. Minneapolis air traffic control alerted local deputies after the crew reported the light near County Highway E and Wadell Road in the Town of Bradley.
Deputies spoke with landowners in the area but could not identify anyone responsible. The flight continued without interruption.
Archived tracking data suggests the aircraft may have been an Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying as Flight 1275 from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. At about 9:25 p.m. CDT, at 34,000 feet, the jet passed roughly four miles southeast of where the beam was reported. Air Canada, the FAA and the sheriff's office have not publicly confirmed that this was the flight involved.
The FAA said pilots filed 10,994 laser strike reports in 2025, down 14 percent from the year before. Since it began counting laser strikes in 2010, the agency has logged 337 pilot injuries.
FAA Associate Administrator Ben Supko said the decline reflects strong reporting by pilots, which gives the agency data for community outreach and work with local police. Any laser strike is too many, he added.
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Sources
- avweb.comLaser Targets 737 at 34,000 Feet Over Wisconsin