ACR FLC WAS MOMENTARILY BLINDED BY A GND BASED LASER ON A LAS HOTEL.

Narrative

WE DEPARTED LAS ON RWY 25L BOUND FOR SAN. AT APPROX 500 FT AGL AND AT APPROX XA00 PM LCL TIME; A LASER BEAM OF GREEN LIGHT STRUCK THROUGH THE R SIDE WINDOW OF MY COCKPIT STRIKING MY FO IN THE R EYE AND BLINDING BOTH HIM AND ME FOR APPROX 5-10 SECONDS DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT BEAN. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE LAS TWR CTLR OF THE INCIDENT AND HE BEGAN TO ASK US SOME PARTICULARS STATING THAT THIS HAS BECOME A RECURRING PROB WITH THE LASER SHOW COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE X HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS. FO DID REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTN AND UPON EXAMINATION BY HIS DOCTOR; THE LASER BEAM HAD BURNED THE OUTER COATING OF THE WHITE AREA OF HIS EYE; ALSO BREAKING BLOOD VESSELS ACCOUNTING FOR THE DEEP REDNESS OF HIS EYE. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE; BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE SERIOUS SIT HAD THE LASER STRUCK MYSELF AS WELL AS THE FO AT A MORE DIRECT ANGLE; SEVERELY BLINDING BOTH OF US AND ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF MY PAX AND CREW. DURING TKOF AT LAS AT 400-500 FT; INTENSE GREEN LIGHT FLASHED THROUGH R SIDE OF COCKPIT STRIKING FO IN R EYE. DUE TO INTENSITY; NIGHT VISION WAS REDUCED FOR 5-10 MINS IN R EYE. VISION APPEARED TO RECOVER NORMALLY AND NEXT MORNING HAD RED AREA IN WHITE OF R EYE. SPOKE WITH OPTOMETRIST AND MADE APPOINTMENT FOR EXAMINATION. UPON EXAMINATION; BEAM HAD BURNED THROUGH OUTER COATING OF WHITE OF EYE AND BROKEN BLOOD VESSELS ACCOUNTING FOR RED AREA. NO IRIS OR RETNA DAMAGE.