A Delta Air Lines pilot was blinded when a person shined a green laser into his cockpit as his flight approached La Guardia Airport, officials said Friday.
The laser beam was directed at Flight 1102 and entered the plane’s cockpit twice at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the FBI said.
It appeared to come from Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst.
The pilot suffered flash blindness. His right eye is still injured.
The plane had been flying in from Atlanta.
“Laser incidents are often viewed as harmless. This couldn’t be further from the truth,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos.
Lasers were aimed at a United Airlines jet heading to La Guardia on Jan. 25 and at a JetBlue flight heading to JFK on Dec. 26.
The United pilot was temporarily blinded. It is believed that beam came from Staten Island.
The JetBlue pilot suffered from blurry vision for more than a week after the JFK incident.
The FBI Joint Terrorism squad, based at La Guardia, is investigating and offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with a tip is asked to call (212) 384-1000.
Pointing a laser at a plane can result in prison, as well as fines from the Federal Aviation Administration.