Embraer EMB-120ER incident near Los Angeles, California, November 30, 1996
On November 30, 1996 at about 2:50 am local time, a Embraer EMB-120ER, registered N291SW, was involved in an incident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a laser light source of unknown origin, directed toward the aircraft, as it was approaching to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 1996 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles International
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120ER · all EMB-120ERs on the register
- Registration
- N291SW · registry record · serial 120.318
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was on a visual approach when a bright blue light shone through the right cabin window and into the captain's right eye. The captain reported that as he continued the fight, his ability to see became difficult due to burning and tearing. By the time the flight was on final approach, he was experiencing so much discomfort that he relinquished the controls to the first officer, who landed the aircraft. A medical examination revealed multiple flash burns to the captain's right cornea. Further examination by Air Force specialists revealed no permanent eye damage. Investigators were unable to locate the source of the laser light. There were no NOTAMs for laser light activity at the time of the incident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,428 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,027 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 10, 1996; 211 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,353 lb
- Seats: 32
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW118A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skywest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 2:15 am
- Destination: LAX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24R, 12,091 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from LAX, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 15 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX97IA056.