A plane arriving into San Diego International Airport Tuesday night was struck by a green laser, San Diego Police confirmed.
The Virgin America flight coming from San Francisco was struck with the laser 3 or 4 times as it arrived to Lindbergh Field at 10:30 p.m., police said.
It's unclear where the laser came from but authorities believe it was somewhere in the downtown area.
The flight landed safely.
The Federal Aviation Administration says sudden exposure to lasers during a critical phase of flight, such as on approach to landing or departure, can distract or disorient a pilot and cause temporary visual impairment.
Pointing a laser at a commercial airliner is a federal offense. It's punishable by up to 20 years in prison and an $11,000 fine, according to the FBI.
