FAA PROBES LASER INCIDENT INVOLVING NATIONAL GUARD BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER NEAR NORTH DAKOTA AIRPORT

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation after a NATIONAL GUARD Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew reported being illuminated by a green laser approximately two miles from Hector International Airport in North Dakota. The incident occurred at around 9 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to FAA officials. No injuries were reported.

The Army confirmed to Fox News Digital that the aircraft was operated by the NATIONAL GUARD. The FAA has notified local authorities and is leading the inquiry into the incident.

This event follows recent aviation tragedies, including a helicopter crash into the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 10, which claimed the lives of six individuals—among them a pilot, two adults, and three children. Additionally, in January, a midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger plane over the Potomac River resulted in 67 fatalities, with no survivors.

In response to these incidents, the FAA has implemented measures to enhance safety near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). These include permanently restricting non-essential helicopter operations, eliminating mixed helicopter and fixed-wing traffic, and closing certain helicopter routes as recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. The agency also prohibited simultaneous use of specific runways and limited visual separation to certain Coast Guard, Marine, and Park Police helicopter operations outside restricted airspace.

The NATIONAL GUARD has not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Sources:
[Fox News Digital](#)
[National Transportation Safety Board](#)
[Federal Aviation Administration](#)