United crew reports green laser near Newark May 14

A United Airlines crew reported that a green laser was pointed at its aircraft near Newark Liberty International Airport on May 14, and the Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident. Newark airport operations were not suspended after the report, according to local authorities and television reports. The episode added to a run of aviation safety incidents in the New York area, including a March 22 crash at LaGuardia Airport and a separate May 4 landing accident involving a United jet near Newark. The FAA has not publicly identified the flight number in its own statement. ### How close to Newark was the laser incident? ABC7 New York reported that the laser was aimed at a plane “miles away” from Newark Liberty International Airport as it approached the airport on Thursday, May 14. The station said the report came from a United Airlines crew and described the light as green. NJ.com reported that the crew of United Airlines Flight 921 said the aircraft was illuminated by a laser about 15 miles west of Newark at roughly 10:05 p.m. on May 14. The outlet said the flight landed safely and that no airport-wide shutdown followed. ### What have the FAA and airline said publicly? The FAA said it is investigating the incident, according to ABC7 New York and NJ.com, both of which cited federal officials. (abc7ny.com) The agency’s laser safety guidance says pilots and crew members should report laser illumination events to air traffic control and through formal FAA channels. (nj.com) United Airlines said its crew reported the green laser near Newark, according to ABC7 New York. Reuters could not independently verify a separate public statement from the carrier on its website, which was not accessible through public search results reviewed for this report. (abc7ny.com) ### Why do laser strikes draw a federal response? The FAA says pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime and describes laser illumination as a serious safety risk because it can distract, temporarily blind or disorient pilots during critical phases of flight. The agency said pilots reported 12,840 laser strikes nationwide in 2024. The FAA has tracked laser incidents for years around major airports, including Newark. (abc7ny.com) An Associated Press report from an earlier Newark case said two flights reported lasers pointed at them about 20 miles southwest of the airport. ### How does this fit into the recent Newark and New York aviation picture? (faa.gov) On March 22, 2026, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with an airport rescue vehicle after landing at LaGuardia Airport, according to FAA and NTSB statements. The NTSB said the captain and first officer were killed and 39 people were taken to hospitals. (apnews.com) On May 13, the FAA said it was accelerating a project to equip all airport vehicles operating in movement areas with transponders, a step the agency said had been planned for months and sped up after the LaGuardia crash. That action was separate from the Newark laser investigation, but it formed part of the broader federal response to recent airport safety events in the region. (faa.gov) On May 4, a different United flight struck a light pole and truck on the New Jersey Turnpike while landing near Newark, according to CBS New York and ABC7 New York. The NTSB opened an investigation into that event. ### What happens next in the Newark laser case? The FAA said the May 14 laser incident remains under investigation. (faa.gov) The agency’s guidance says laser events can be referred to federal, state and local law enforcement, and pilots are instructed to preserve details including time, color, direction and location when reporting them. The next public updates are likely to come from the FAA or local law enforcement if investigators identify a source for the laser or file charges. (cbsnews.com) Newark airport continued operating after the report on May 14, according to NJ.com and ABC7 New York. (nj.com) (faa.gov)