Laser Strike on Final and a Knife Discovered After Shutdown
On final to runway 31 at a small international airport, 3 nm from touchdown and 1,200 ft AGL, a green laser beam from a warehouse area right of the extended centreline illuminates your cockpit for about three seconds. You are dazzled and lose sight of the runway lights briefly, but you land normally. After shutdown, a passenger tells you he put a folding knife with a 7 cm blade in his jacket pocket 'for the picnic' and forgot it. You did not ask about prohibited items before boarding and he passed through the terminal without being stopped. The airport has police and security staff on site. You have a scheduled flight in the aircraft in two hours, and the passenger asks whether he can just leave the knife in the aircraft.
1. What should you do immediately after the laser strike?
Read the worked answer
Report immediately to ATC: 'Laser strike, 3 nm final runway 31, 1,200 ft AGL, green, from warehouse area right of centreline.' If the dazzle prevents a safe approach, go around.
After landing, do not fly again if you have eye pain, persistent afterimage or blurred vision; seek aeromedical advice. The laser attack is also a police matter, so inform airport security or police.
2. What reports must be made after landing?
Read the worked answer
Make a Mandatory Occurrence Report to the GCAA as soon as practicable, normally within 72 hours, with the time, position, altitude, colour, duration, effect and any medical follow-up. Notify the airport operator or ATC so a warning can be issued to other traffic.
Keep your notes and the passenger's details. A laser strike is a reportable occurrence, not just an inconvenience.
3. What should you do about the passenger's knife, and what should be reported?
Read the worked answer
Do not let him leave the knife in the aircraft and do not let him carry it into the terminal or secure area. Take the knife, secure it, and hand it to airport security or police; record the details. Treat it as a security breach because the item was on board and passed terminal security.
As PIC, review your passenger briefing and checklist; prohibited items must be identified before boarding. Include the security event in the report to the airport security authority, and in the GCAA report if it affected flight safety.