investigating. reporter: it happened as this plight from new york was landing at west palm beach airport. someone on the ground tracked the aircraft with a laser for about 20 to 30 seconds. this video shows what it looks like from the cockpit. the faa says a lasers beam can initial instantly. it can blind the pilot, at least it can temporarily blind the pilot. and just the effect of the this startling burst of light into the care plane cockpit. reporter: nationwide, they re becoming increasingly common. the faa reported just 350 in 2006. but 3,400 in 2012. and in palm beach alone, there have been 32 laser attacks so far this year. 2012 law make it a federal offense to aim a laser at a plane. the word needs to get out
planes were coming in to land. the laser attacks on the in bound flights to new york city have increased 17% so far this year. the high-tech rollout for obamacare is looking low tech these days with a website a complete mess. is there a better way to go about this? we will analyze some of the options. and the step mother of a teenager accused of bullying a girl to the point of committing suicide. our legal panel on how the two cases might all tie together. and in a league of their own. how professional video gamers are getting special status from those who control our borders.
story. reporter: it starts as a bright narrow beam of green light at ground level. but by the time it gets to the cockpit, this laser explodes into a blinding bright flash, a genuine hazard for pilots. you might think it s fun but it s extremely dangerous. reporter: this san francisco news copter captured this crime on tape, the second time in two weeks they were lasered. the guy was standing on his front porch and kept doing it over and over. reporter: police arrested the prankster, now facing a $11,000 federal fine. the faa, fbi and local police are cracking down after a jump in laser attacks. got him. reporter: from 300 in 2005 to nearly 3,500 last year. in january of this year, a record pace of nearly 350 laser sightings. we just got lasered up here. reporter: this is a jetblue pilot having difficulty approaching jfk in new york.
story. reporter: it starts as a bright narrow beam of green light at ground level. but by the time it gets to the cockpit, this laser explodes into a blinding bright flash, a genuine hazard for pilots. you might think it s fun but it s extremely dangerous. reporter: this san francisco news copter captured this crime on tape, the second time in two weeks they were lasered. the guy was standing on his front porch and kept doing it over and over. reporter: police arrested the frank sterks prankster, now facing a $11,000 federal fine. the faa, fbi and local police are cracking down after a jump in laser attacks. got him. reporter: from 300 in 2005 to nearly 3,500 last year. in january of this year, a record pace of nearly 350 laser sightings. we just got lasered up here. reporter: this is a jetblue pilot having difficulty
provide as distraction for rick perry on the eve of a flat tax and distracting. shepard: giving the haters a lot of time to hate. u.s. officials are reporting an increase in laser attacks on planes. despite a recent crackdown. the experts say the laser beams can blind a pilot and incapacitate crew members at the controls. as of this summer anyone caught pointing a laser at an aircraft faces up to $11,000 in fines but according to either woulding of the usa today newspaper the federal aviation administration reports 2,700 laser strikes so far this year. that is on pace to spas the number last year, and, also, way above just 300 incidents reported back in 2005. the softy and sand wish that has sparked fan clubs has gotten a