A spinning searchlight on top of a Dallas strip club gave a pilot a dazzling experience he could have done without and sparked safety fears, myFOXdfw.com reported Tuesday.
The powerful light on the roof of the Bombshells club flooded the cockpit of a Southwest Airlines jet as it prepared to land at Love Field Airport.
The incident happened just after 11pm Sunday when the flight was on final approach, about 1,000 feet (305m) off the ground and a couple miles from the runway, officials said.
The pilot then radioed to the control tower to report a laser strike, a dangerous situation in which a laser beam strikes the cockpit, possibly causing temporary blindness.
"You have the potential of causing the pilot a problem. In fact, there have been occasions where the pilot, who was landed the aircraft, got hit by a laser and the co-pilot ended up having to complete the landing," Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representative Lynn Lunsford said.
However, the pilot in this case was not harmed and landed the jet safely.
Police later asked the club owner to switch off the light.
The venue complied and said the light was installed at an angle, which it was told would not interfere with planes.
"It gives people a landmark. If you listen to our radio ads we say, 'Look for the spotlight.' It's just for publicity, not intended to hurt or harm anyone. It's just a light," club manager Zach Carson said.
Bombshells said it will not turn the light back on until the FAA provides approval.
Read more: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/083110-Strip-Club-Search-Light-Endangers-Southwest-Airlines-Flight
