Cessna pilot reports being illuminated by a green laser on a 1.5 mile final to tus; causing momentar...

Narrative:

While approaching tus from the north; I heard two air carrier aircraft report being illuminated by a green laser on the ground. The first aircraft reported seeing the laser on about a 15 mile final; and the second reported being illuminated on about a 5 mile final. As I approached the airport (on about a 1.5 mile final); my aircraft was also illuminated by the laser; which appeared to be within about a mile of the final approach path; on the left side of the aircraft. Although my night vision was temporarily affected by the laser; my student was able to safely land the aircraft; and my vision returned to normal within a few minutes. All three incidents took place within roughly a 15 minute period; and the location of the laser source reported by the air carrier crews was in the same area I observed the source to be. Because the laser source was so close to the approach end of the runway; there was a clear potential for an accident to occur had a faster moving aircraft been illuminated at the same location where I was hit by the beam. Laser incidents have been a fairly regular occurrence in this area over the last two years; and I believe it is only the relatively low levels of nighttime traffic into the local airports that has prevented the laser events from causing serious problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Cessna pilot reports being illuminated by a green laser on a 1.5 mile final to TUS; causing momentary loss of night vision. The student continues the approach to landing. Two air carrier aircraft landing ahead of the reporter were also illuminated.

Narrative: While approaching TUS from the north; I heard two air carrier aircraft report being illuminated by a green laser on the ground. The first aircraft reported seeing the laser on about a 15 mile final; and the second reported being illuminated on about a 5 mile final. As I approached the airport (on about a 1.5 mile final); my aircraft was also illuminated by the laser; which appeared to be within about a mile of the final approach path; on the left side of the aircraft. Although my night vision was temporarily affected by the laser; my student was able to safely land the aircraft; and my vision returned to normal within a few minutes. All three incidents took place within roughly a 15 minute period; and the location of the laser source reported by the air carrier crews was in the same area I observed the source to be. Because the laser source was so close to the approach end of the runway; there was a clear potential for an accident to occur had a faster moving aircraft been illuminated at the same location where I was hit by the beam. Laser incidents have been a fairly regular occurrence in this area over the last two years; and I believe it is only the relatively low levels of nighttime traffic into the local airports that has prevented the laser events from causing serious problems.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	1087116
Time
Date	201305
Place
Locale Reference	TUS.Airport
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft High Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 80 Flight Crew Total 1770 Flight Crew Type 1000
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural FAR

Cessna pilot reports being illuminated by a green laser on a 1.5 mile final to tus; causing momentary loss of night vision. The student continues the approach to landing. Two air carrier aircraft landing ahead of the reporter were also illuminated.