Dallas

3 Planes Hit by Laser Near Dallas Wednesday Night: FAA

Police trying to find source of bright light

The pilots of three different planes reported being hit by a laser beam about 11 miles southeast of Dallas at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration confirms.

Planes from Southwest Airlines and Virgin America, as well as a private business jet, were affected.

The planes were flying at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 feet when the incidents occurred and were en route to Dallas Love Field, the FAA said. Both of the commercial airliners were coming from Austin.

Police were investigating and a police helicopter was assisting in the search for the person responsible, but the source of the laser was not immediately discovered, an agency spokesman said.

In July, a man was arrested after eight commercial airliners and a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter were reportedly hit by a laser in a single night while flying over Johnson County.

One plane was 11,000 feet in the air at the time.

In May, two pilots reported seeing lasers pointed in their direction as they flew at about 3,000 feet over Dallas toward Arlington.

For three months in 2014, the FBI offered a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of anyone who aimed a laser pointer at an aircraft. A pilot program led to a 19 percent decrease in reported strikes.

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