Southwest Airlines Jet Was On Approach To Love Field

The pilot of Southwest Airlines Flight 939 on approach to Love Field in Dallas was momentarily blinded by a flash of bright light in the cockpit. But this time, the light was not from some bored kid with a laser pointer or local resident angry about air traffic. The culprit was a rotating spotlight perched on top of a Dallas strip club called "Bomb Shells Cabaret".

FAA spokeswoman Lynn Lunsford said the airliner was about four miles from the airport when it was inadvertently hit by the spotlight. "All of a sudden, a bright flash of light, and their night vision is destroyed, and it takes a while to come back," Lunsford told Fort Worth television station KXAS.

The owner of the strip club, Zack Carson, has unplugged the searchlight until it can be re-aimed. He said it has been in operation for two years, and this is the first time there has been any reported issue with air traffic in the area. "I'm not one for blinding planes," he told the station.

FMI: www.faa.gov