A HOBBY pilot says he is lucky he was not blinded by a laser attack while flying over Carlisle - the second such incident in a matter of days.

A Piper Warrior plane from a city flying school, based at Carlisle Airport, reported being hit by the laser while flying over the Currock area.

The incident happened at about 8.20pm on Monday night, just days after another similar incident was reported.

Phil Short, 41, a self-employed electrician from Carlisle, was flying the small plane with a passenger on board when the second attack happened.

He told the News & Star: “I took off from Carlisle Airport at about 7pm for a leisurely flight out to Whitehaven and the coast, before turning around to head back.

“I was flying over Currock when I noticed the laser, and reported it to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower at the airport straight away.

“The ATC then reported it to the police before I landed at 8.40pm.”

Phil has been flying for five years and said it wasn’t the first time he has been on the end of a laser attack.

“I’ve not flown in the evening for a few years, and I previously noticed a laser while in the air over Morton in 2016.

“I know that a few of my other friends who are pilots have also seen lasers at night while flying [in Cumbria] in the past.

“I’m lucky the laser didn’t blind me, I just tried to focus more on flying the plane safely, knowing someone was onboard with me.

“If a pilot was blinded, the plane could come down and crash and kill someone.

“How would those behind this feel if something like that had happened?”

Both Phil and his passenger Declan Morland avoided injury and landed safely.

On Saturday, Great North Air Ambulance pilot Owen McTaggert, 47, said his helicopter was hit by a laser while departing from the Cumberland Infirmary just after 7pm.

While he wasn’t injured, he said needed to get an eye check-up to see if any damage had been done.

A spokesman for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said it is likely they will receive official reports of the two laser incidents in due course, but added that the responsibility to investigate them lies with the police.

“Shining a laser at an aircraft in flight could pose a serious safety risk, it is also a specific criminal offence,” the spokesman said.

“Anyone convicted of shining a laser at an aircraft could face a significant fine or even prison.

“We strongly urge anyone who sees lasers being used, particularly in the vicinity of an airport, to contact the police immediately.”

A Cumbria Police spokesman said enquiries were ongoing. Call 101 if you have information into the circumstances of Monday night’s incident. Those with information should call 101, with log 209 of March 4.

  • Video credit: Declan Morland