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SALT LAKE CITY -- The FBI has opened an investigation into a person who shined a laser pointer into the cockpit of a medical helicopter.
Police say someone used a green laser -- a more powerful version available online and overseas -- when they pointed it at an AirMed helicopter around 6 p.m. Wednesday. The crew had just dropped a patient off at University Medical Center and was returning to its base in Orem when the light hit the cockpit.
Our pilots fly visual flight rules. We're flying over the city and can ill afford to have our pilot's vision impaired during transport.
–Rob Stantus
The pilot was able to triangulate the person's location and notified air traffic control.
"It's dangerous because it interferes with the pilot's vision at night," said Rob Stantus, a program manager with AirMed. "Our pilots fly visual flight rules. We're flying over the city and can ill afford to have our pilot's vision impaired during transport."
AirMed has been told the people responsible were found and that they were younger. The FBI confirms they have opened an investigation -- it falls into their jurisdiction since it is federal airspace.
It's a criminal offense to point a laser at any cockpit and is punishable by jail time. However, officials say it happens more often than people may realize.
The pilot involved in the incident says he's been tagged by a laser four times in the past three years.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
