2010-01 · NASA ASRS report 871239
B757 flight crew reports being illuminated by a green laser light on approach to Runway 8R at IAH. First Officer experiences eye discomfort after the flight.
The First Officer was flying. On 5 mile final he asked me if I saw a light flashing at us. I looked up and saw a green light on the ground about 3 miles from runway. Thinking it was a laser I told him to look inside the cockpit. A moment later he said; 'Oh; that hurt!' I asked him if he had been hit with the laser and he said yes. However he seemed ok and continued to a landing. I reported the hit to Tower and then again queried Ground Control if they received the report. He asked if we were the first or second aircraft reporting and I told him I did not know of another report. When I reported for the return flight in the morning; I checked the IAH NOTAMs and discovered that they contained nothing about the incident. I called Dispatch and requested that they insert a NOTAM detailing the possibility of encountering a laser in the airport vicinity. I am extremely disappointed (but not surprised) at the complete lack of followup or concern; and the nearly complete lack of communication surrounding a potentially lethal attack on our flight operations. It certainly appears that any talk of safety concerns is just that - talk.
On approximately a 9-mile final I saw lasers being fired from an area approximately 3 miles from the runway. I advised the Captain and he advised me to stay on the instruments and avoid looking at the lasers. I asked him if he had seen the lasers and he said 'no'. At that point we continued the approach and reported to Tower that lasers were seen on the final for Runway 8R. We continued and the Tower asked us if we could give a distance from the runway of the laser's location. The lasers had stopped and I knew approximately where they were and was going to try and pinpoint their location. At approximately a 5-mile final; I looked for the lasers to verify their location. At that point; the lasers fired at the aircraft and hit the cockpit. I felt a flash in the cockpit but did not feel that it had affected me. We landed the airplane safely and taxied clear of the active runway. As we were taxiing; I began to feel a slight pain and itching in my left eye. At that moment I discussed it with the Captain and felt that I had sustained some trauma to my eye. We parked the airplane and decided that I should be evaluated. I jump-seated home and called my primary physician; who referred me to an eye specialist. I saw the specialist and he could see no permanent damage to the eye; but suggested I rest it for 5 days. As of writing this report I am still experiencing pain and light sensitivity in my left eye.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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