The Cockpit Laser Display (Phoenix, Arizona)

A homeowner in Phoenix, Arizona, skipped traditional string lights and installed high-powered automated holiday laser projectors in his yard. The devices projected spinning red and green patterns across his roof and straight into the night sky. Unfortunately, the home sat directly underneath a major approach corridor for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Commercial pilots reported blinding lasers striking their cockpits during low-altitude landings. Local police and FAA officials tracked the beams to the cul-de-sac and forced an immediate shutdown of the display under threat of heavy federal fines.