FAA probes 2 laser incidents involving news helicopters

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after it received reports of two laser incidents involving news helicopters on Wednesday night, a spokeswoman said.

The FAA said a WNBC news helicopter reported that it was illuminated by a laser six miles southwest of LaGuardia Airport at 5 p.m. A WABC news helicopter also reported being struck by a laser near Newark Liberty International Airport at 5:20 p.m., the spokeswoman said.

Pointing a laser at a plane is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. According to the FAA, reported incidents of lasers aimed at aircraft nationwide have steadily increased in the past decade, from 384 in 2006 to 3,894 in 2014.