C172 pilot reports being temporarily blinded by laser light while on approach to pwk runway 16.

Attributes
ACN	735426
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pwk.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 16
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 325 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	735426
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor FAA Airport
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

This is to raise attention of an unsafe condition during the approach phase to runway 16 at chicago executive airport (formerly palwaukee airport). I was on approach to runway 16 approximately 2 miles from the threshold. I was temporarily blinded by a very bright intense flash. Not knowing what caused this flash I looked around and noticed that the westin hotel which is slightly east of the ILS to runway 16 was conducting a laser light show. The laser repeatedly flashed and pointed in the direction of the ILS course putting pilots in jeopardy. Several times during the approach this laser display illuminated my cockpit. I did conduct a weather/tfr/NOTAM brief earlier in the day and was not made aware of any NOTAMS of this activity. I do not believe any notifications to the FAA were made by the hotel. I was not able to notify tower personnel due to the lateness of my arrival. This is why I am submitting this NASA report. This; without saying; is a very dangerous situation. Had I been IMC and conducting an actual approach; breaking out near minimums and being blinded by this flash would have proved a very serious threat to safety. I sure hope this is handled swiftly so as to not jeopardize the safety of other pilots; passengers; or people on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT REPORTS BEING TEMPORARILY BLINDED BY LASER LIGHT WHILE ON APCH TO PWK RWY 16.

Narrative: THIS IS TO RAISE ATTENTION OF AN UNSAFE CONDITION DURING THE APPROACH PHASE TO RWY 16 AT CHICAGO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (FORMERLY PALWAUKEE AIRPORT). I WAS ON APPROACH TO RWY 16 APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM THE THRESHOLD. I WAS TEMPORARILY BLINDED BY A VERY BRIGHT INTENSE FLASH. NOT KNOWING WHAT CAUSED THIS FLASH I LOOKED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT THE WESTIN HOTEL WHICH IS SLIGHTLY EAST OF THE ILS TO RWY 16 WAS CONDUCTING A LASER LIGHT SHOW. THE LASER REPEATEDLY FLASHED AND POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ILS COURSE PUTTING PILOTS IN JEOPARDY. SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE APPROACH THIS LASER DISPLAY ILLUMINATED MY COCKPIT. I DID CONDUCT A WEATHER/TFR/NOTAM BRIEF EARLIER IN THE DAY AND WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF ANY NOTAMS OF THIS ACTIVITY. I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY NOTIFICATIONS TO THE FAA WERE MADE BY THE HOTEL. I WAS NOT ABLE TO NOTIFY TOWER PERSONNEL DUE TO THE LATENESS OF MY ARRIVAL. THIS IS WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS NASA REPORT. THIS; WITHOUT SAYING; IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD I BEEN IMC AND CONDUCTING AN ACTUAL APPROACH; BREAKING OUT NEAR MINIMUMS AND BEING BLINDED BY THIS FLASH WOULD HAVE PROVED A VERY SERIOUS THREAT TO SAFETY. I SURE HOPE THIS IS HANDLED SWIFTLY SO AS TO NOT JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF OTHER PILOTS; PASSENGERS; OR PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.

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.