# Incident 19970714045209I: Boeing 737522, Ontario, CA, July 14, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 1997, 20:34 local time
- Place: Ontario, CA
- Airport: Ontario International Airport
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: UALA
- Location: 34.0209° N, 117.5793° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0209&lon=-117.5793&mi=10
- Aircraft: N956UA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N956UA-2005-07-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 737-522 (registry code 138449F, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-522) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: CFM International CFM56 series (registry code 13802, https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737522
- Reported engine: CFMINT CFM563C
- People aboard: 113
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,265 total, 1,997 in this make and model, 182 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97IA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97IA243) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970714045209I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 14, 1997, AT 2034 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, THE FLIGHT CREW ON UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 2327, REPORTED AN EXPOSURE TO A LASER BEAM DURING AN APPROACH TO ONTAIO, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT, A BOEING 737-522, N956UA, WAS OPERATED BY UNITED AIRLINES AS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 121 WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AT 1938 ON THE EVENING OF THE INCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH 4000 FEET MSL ON A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE TO RUNWAY 26R AT ONTARIO WHEN THE CREW NOTICED A RED LASER BEAM THAT SWEPT ACCROSS THE COCKPIT FIVE TO SIX TIMES. ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER, THE LASER ENCOUNTER REOCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY WHEN THE CREW SAW THE LASER EMANATING FROM A POINT ON THE GROUND ABOUT 1.5 MILES NORTH OF THEIE POSITION. THE CREW NOTIFIED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ON THE INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF INJURY TO ANYONE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATORS FROM THE FDA, THE FBI, AND THE SAN BERNARDINO SHERIFFS AERO BUREAU WERE NOTIFIED, HOWEVER THE SOURECE OF THE LIGHT REMAINS UNDETERMINED.      ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THERE WERE NO NOTAMS IN EFFECT FOR LASER LIGHT ACTIVITY IN THE ONTARIO AREA AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97IA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97IA243), Jul 15, 1997: Boeing 737-522 (N956UA), Ontario, CA, incident, no damage. Probable cause: a laser light source of undetermined origin directed toward the cockpit window of an aircraft in-flight by a person or persons unknown.

## Other reports on N956UA (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20031101027999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031101027999A), Nov 1, 2003: Boeing 737522 (N956UA), Denver, CO. (-23) United airlines flight #1232 inbound from boise to Denver had reports from prior aircraft in area of turbulence ahead at or about FL 240. Captain…
- [Incident 20030128007929I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030128007929I), Jan 28, 2003: Boeing 737522 (N956UA), Rochester, NY. (-23) On January 28, 2003, united airlines flt. 1535, N956UA, during the initial takeoff roll, less than 20 knots of ground speed, at 40% N1, a ground vehicle…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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