The Federal Aviation Administration has reported a third consecutive annual decline in laser strikes on aircraft in the US National Airspace System, with pilots logging 4,470 incidents so far in 2026, down 24% from the same point last year. The agency still described the level as too high, even as it pointed to continued outreach with law enforcement and a drop from the 2023 record of 13,304 reported strikes.
The FAA’s latest update highlights a persistent safety issue rather than a single operational event, with the figures covering reports from January through July 2026. California, Texas and Florida were among the highest-reporting states, alongside Illinois, Tennessee, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Virginia and Georgia.
The downward trend follows earlier reductions in 2024 and 2025, suggesting that reporting, training and enforcement efforts are having an effect. Even so, the agency’s data shows laser illumination remains widespread across several major aviation markets, keeping the issue on the regulator’s safety agenda.