Narrative:

We were on approach to runway 29 into oak and 5 mi in trail behind another carrier's B737. That aircraft reported to oak tower that they were being tracked by a ground based laser during their right base turn to final and while on final approach. Tower asked them to report when it stopped and they reported that the laser continued to track them until the source was at their 4 O'clock position while established on final. About 3 mins later we were at 10.5 DME on the runway 19 ILS localizer course; 3500 ft MSL; and I was the PF. Due to the prior warning from the other carrier; I was concentrating my field of vision straight ahead to prevent from being blinded by the laser. I was still flashed twice in the eyes by the laser. I closed my right eye to prevent being flashed again and continued for the next min with it closed until the source of the laser was behind us. I did not experience any degradation of vision or discomfort as a result of the laser. My captain contacted oak tower and asked if a police helicopter was available to investigate the source of the laser; but she was told that none was available. A second request produced the same answer when a different carrier that was behind us idented the radial/DME off of sau for the source of the laser. This is a potential security threat that should be investigated by the proper law enforcement auths. Air crew was targeted by ground-based laser.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW REPORTS BEING TRACKED BY A GREEN LASER LIGHT FROM A SOURCE ON THE GROUND ABOUT 10 NM EAST OF OAK DURING APPROACH. FLT CREW IS UNHARMED AND LANDS SAFELY.

Narrative: WE WERE ON APCH TO RWY 29 INTO OAK AND 5 MI IN TRAIL BEHIND ANOTHER CARRIER'S B737. THAT ACFT RPTED TO OAK TWR THAT THEY WERE BEING TRACKED BY A GND BASED LASER DURING THEIR R BASE TURN TO FINAL AND WHILE ON FINAL APCH. TWR ASKED THEM TO RPT WHEN IT STOPPED AND THEY RPTED THAT THE LASER CONTINUED TO TRACK THEM UNTIL THE SOURCE WAS AT THEIR 4 O'CLOCK POS WHILE ESTABLISHED ON FINAL. ABOUT 3 MINS LATER WE WERE AT 10.5 DME ON THE RWY 19 ILS LOC COURSE; 3500 FT MSL; AND I WAS THE PF. DUE TO THE PRIOR WARNING FROM THE OTHER CARRIER; I WAS CONCENTRATING MY FIELD OF VISION STRAIGHT AHEAD TO PREVENT FROM BEING BLINDED BY THE LASER. I WAS STILL FLASHED TWICE IN THE EYES BY THE LASER. I CLOSED MY R EYE TO PREVENT BEING FLASHED AGAIN AND CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT MIN WITH IT CLOSED UNTIL THE SOURCE OF THE LASER WAS BEHIND US. I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY DEGRADATION OF VISION OR DISCOMFORT AS A RESULT OF THE LASER. MY CAPT CONTACTED OAK TWR AND ASKED IF A POLICE HELI WAS AVAILABLE TO INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE OF THE LASER; BUT SHE WAS TOLD THAT NONE WAS AVAILABLE. A SECOND REQUEST PRODUCED THE SAME ANSWER WHEN A DIFFERENT CARRIER THAT WAS BEHIND US IDENTED THE RADIAL/DME OFF OF SAU FOR THE SOURCE OF THE LASER. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SECURITY THREAT THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY THE PROPER LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHS. AIR CREW WAS TARGETED BY GND-BASED LASER.

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.