KENYON, Minn. – The pilot of an airliner descending into the Minneapolis airport was blinded by a laser that federal investigators say was shot upward from this southeast Minnesota town 60 miles short of the runway. The FAA asked Kenyon police to warn the public against pointing lasers at aircraft. The plane was 3-1/2 miles up at 19,000 feet at 10:52 p.m. on July 4. Although the pilot was blinded only temporarily, a laser beam can cause permanent damage by burning the eyeball from the inside out. Kenyon Police Chief Jeffrey Sjoblom asked for tips about laser incidents. He assured anonymity to informants. The Federal Aviation Administration can issue a $30,800 fine for endangering aviation with a laser.
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Sjoblom: “It’s unfortunate that we have to tell the public to avoid these kinds of actions. It should be common sense.”