Narrative:

On approach into aus runway 17R; at about 13 mi and 3500 ft MSL; I observed a bright flash of light. When I turned to look at the source I was struck again with what I interpreted to be a powerful steady green laser directed at my side window. I subsequently experienced pain and visual distortion similar to entering a dark room from a bright snowy day; mostly in my right eye. After looking directly at the laser; I ducked down using the side of the aircraft to avoid direct exposure to the light source. The cockpit was illuminated several more times. The event was reported to the tower when it happened. In hindsight; I was surprised that I turned and looked directly at the source of the laser; but upon further reflection; I have turned and looked directly at countless other sources of light immediately and initially; involuntarily. Other examples I refer to are shooting stars; fireworks; airport beacons; satellites; other aircraft; fires; transformer explosions; police and fire flashers. Had I been more cognizant of the threat of a powerful laser attack; I might have been less inclined to look directly at such a light source. I believe the ATIS was updated to reflect our report as we pulled in to the gate. Having this personal experience I think will modify my future behavior in a way that reading several reports of this type of incident previously did not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR CARRIER FIRST OFFICER WAS STRUCK IN THE EYE BY A POWERFUL GREEN LASER LIGHT WHILE ON A THIRTEEN MILE FINAL TO AUS AT 3500 FT. VISUAL ATTRACTION TO THE LIGHT WAS AN INVOLUNTARY REACTION.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO AUS RWY 17R; AT ABOUT 13 MI AND 3500 FT MSL; I OBSERVED A BRIGHT FLASH OF LIGHT. WHEN I TURNED TO LOOK AT THE SOURCE I WAS STRUCK AGAIN WITH WHAT I INTERPED TO BE A POWERFUL STEADY GREEN LASER DIRECTED AT MY SIDE WINDOW. I SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED PAIN AND VISUAL DISTORTION SIMILAR TO ENTERING A DARK ROOM FROM A BRIGHT SNOWY DAY; MOSTLY IN MY R EYE. AFTER LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THE LASER; I DUCKED DOWN USING THE SIDE OF THE ACFT TO AVOID DIRECT EXPOSURE TO THE LIGHT SOURCE. THE COCKPIT WAS ILLUMINATED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THE EVENT WAS RPTED TO THE TWR WHEN IT HAPPENED. IN HINDSIGHT; I WAS SURPRISED THAT I TURNED AND LOOKED DIRECTLY AT THE SOURCE OF THE LASER; BUT UPON FURTHER REFLECTION; I HAVE TURNED AND LOOKED DIRECTLY AT COUNTLESS OTHER SOURCES OF LIGHT IMMEDIATELY AND INITIALLY; INVOLUNTARILY. OTHER EXAMPLES I REFER TO ARE SHOOTING STARS; FIREWORKS; ARPT BEACONS; SATELLITES; OTHER ACFT; FIRES; TRANSFORMER EXPLOSIONS; POLICE AND FIRE FLASHERS. HAD I BEEN MORE COGNIZANT OF THE THREAT OF A POWERFUL LASER ATTACK; I MIGHT HAVE BEEN LESS INCLINED TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT SUCH A LIGHT SOURCE. I BELIEVE THE ATIS WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT OUR RPT AS WE PULLED IN TO THE GATE. HAVING THIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I THINK WILL MODIFY MY FUTURE BEHAVIOR IN A WAY THAT READING SEVERAL RPTS OF THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT PREVIOUSLY DID NOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.