Narrative:

This event occurred over london; and it should be noted that there was not yet any hint of dawn. The writer of this report was pm (pilot monitoring) and first officer. The airplane was being vectored out of a hold for arrival at egll runway 27. We had been vectored east; or approximately so; on a right downwind. Somewhere over the east end of london; we were vectored to a heading of 165 degrees. The pilot flying was using the autopilot and the plane rolled into an appropriate 25 degree bank. Just as the bank was ending and the roll to level was beginning; I briefly looked straight down and was immediately flashed by a green laser. I experienced no loss of vision or pain. The flash was maybe a second in duration. The plane rolled level on a 165 degree heading immediately rendering the laser out of view. I commented to the crew that I have just been green laser flashed; and asked had anybody else. No one else had experienced this flash. A few seconds had elapsed and I estimated we were now directly over the location of the laser. I reported this fact immediately to ATC (london approach control). They acknowledged and stated they would pass this information on. I learned later this information is immediately passed on to the local police. The plane following us was advised of the laser illumination. During the remainder of the approach and landing; I experienced no loss of vision or pain/discomfort. This changed during the bus ride to the hotel. I experienced pain behind both eyes; but no vision disruption and degradation. The pain was equivalent to a sinus headache and on a scale of 1 to 10 rated about a 4. I went to bed promptly upon reaching the hotel; slept soundly for about 8 hours and awoke with the same level of pain; but no vision disruption. I spent the evening touring london; and noticed the pain level diminished to zero and was absent during most of my time outside; and while in motion. I went back to bed about XA30 local. Upon waking about XE30; the pain behind my eyes had returned; but was less intense; now about a 3 on 1 to 10 scale. During the ride to the airport; the pain diminished to nothing; and stayed at zero for the entire flight; including the drive to my home. The pain did reoccur that evening after having been back home for several hours and after waking from a 3 hour nap. The pain behind my eyes would wax and wane over a period of several minutes; sometimes being absent for up to an hour; and sometimes being present for up to an hour. The level of pain had now diminished to a 2 on a 1 to 10 scale. The day following my arrival; I was profoundly tired and even after getting a full night's sleep; and slept intermittently for about 4 or 5 hours during the afternoon period of the next day. I went to bed late that night; and upon waking; the pain was gone and has not reoccurred. I have been unable to find any vision degradation; and consider myself fully recovered. There were only two symptoms associated with this event; intermittent pain behind the eyes for about 4 days and several days after the event; profound; but short duration fatigue. There are no long term effects and I never lost any visual acuity. Now; 5 days after the event; I seem to be fully recovered without any lasting effects. However; this is an experience I do not wish to repeat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier First Officer reports being zapped by a green laser over London during approach. He describes the physical effects and recovery process over the next five days.

Narrative: This event occurred over London; and it should be noted that there was not yet any hint of dawn. The writer of this report was PM (pilot monitoring) and First Officer. The Airplane was being vectored out of a hold for arrival at EGLL Runway 27. We had been vectored east; or approximately so; on a right downwind. Somewhere over the east end of London; we were vectored to a heading of 165 degrees. The pilot flying was using the autopilot and the plane rolled into an appropriate 25 degree bank. Just as the bank was ending and the roll to level was beginning; I briefly looked straight down and was immediately flashed by a green laser. I experienced no loss of vision or pain. The flash was maybe a second in duration. The plane rolled level on a 165 degree heading immediately rendering the laser out of view. I commented to the crew that I have just been green laser flashed; and asked had anybody else. No one else had experienced this flash. A few seconds had elapsed and I estimated we were now directly over the location of the laser. I reported this fact immediately to ATC (London Approach Control). They acknowledged and stated they would pass this information on. I learned later this information is immediately passed on to the local police. The plane following us was advised of the laser illumination. During the remainder of the approach and landing; I experienced no loss of vision or pain/discomfort. This changed during the bus ride to the hotel. I experienced pain behind both eyes; but no vision disruption and degradation. The pain was equivalent to a sinus headache and on a scale of 1 to 10 rated about a 4. I went to bed promptly upon reaching the hotel; slept soundly for about 8 hours and awoke with the same level of pain; but no vision disruption. I spent the evening touring London; and noticed the pain level diminished to zero and was absent during most of my time outside; and while in motion. I went back to bed about XA30 local. Upon waking about XE30; the pain behind my eyes had returned; but was less intense; now about a 3 on 1 to 10 scale. During the ride to the airport; the pain diminished to nothing; and stayed at zero for the entire flight; including the drive to my home. The pain did reoccur that evening after having been back home for several hours and after waking from a 3 hour nap. The pain behind my eyes would wax and wane over a period of several minutes; sometimes being absent for up to an hour; and sometimes being present for up to an hour. The level of pain had now diminished to a 2 on a 1 to 10 scale. The day following my arrival; I was profoundly tired and even after getting a full night's sleep; and slept intermittently for about 4 or 5 hours during the afternoon period of the next day. I went to bed late that night; and upon waking; the pain was gone and has not reoccurred. I have been unable to find any vision degradation; and consider myself fully recovered. There were only two symptoms associated with this event; intermittent pain behind the eyes for about 4 days and several days after the event; profound; but short duration fatigue. There are no long term effects and I never lost any visual acuity. Now; 5 days after the event; I seem to be fully recovered without any lasting effects. However; this is an experience I do not wish to repeat.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.