First officer of MD88 reports bright green flash visible from the cockpit on final approach to runwa...

Attributes
ACN	696480
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	696480
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Turning base to final; runway 9R at atl; I saw a very brief; bright green flash about 5 mi nne of our position; in my right eye. Although not painful; I could feel an unusual sensation in my eye. The light was distracting and caused an 'after image' to remain in my visual field for about 20 mins after exposure. I was PF; and was able to continue and land normally. After landing; I telephoned my airline's operations center to inform them of the event; and they forwarded my report to atl TRACON. I don't know if this event was malicious or accidental.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF MD88 RPTS BRIGHT GREEN FLASH VISIBLE FROM THE COCKPIT ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 9R IN ATL.

Narrative: TURNING BASE TO FINAL; RWY 9R AT ATL; I SAW A VERY BRIEF; BRIGHT GREEN FLASH ABOUT 5 MI NNE OF OUR POS; IN MY R EYE. ALTHOUGH NOT PAINFUL; I COULD FEEL AN UNUSUAL SENSATION IN MY EYE. THE LIGHT WAS DISTRACTING AND CAUSED AN 'AFTER IMAGE' TO REMAIN IN MY VISUAL FIELD FOR ABOUT 20 MINS AFTER EXPOSURE. I WAS PF; AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE AND LAND NORMALLY. AFTER LNDG; I TELEPHONED MY AIRLINE'S OPS CTR TO INFORM THEM OF THE EVENT; AND THEY FORWARDED MY RPT TO ATL TRACON. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS EVENT WAS MALICIOUS OR ACCIDENTAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

First officer of MD88 reports bright green flash visible from the cockpit on final approach to runway 9R in atl.