New laser holiday lights causing concern: Boeing 737 impacted while flying at 13,000 feet!

DALLAS, Texas -- Christmas lights are causing trouble in the skies. An American Airlines pilot reported being flashed by a laser from a holiday display -- and that's causing concern.

These new laser Christmas lights are supposed to make decorating for the holidays easier. They require no ladders, no nails, and no hammers.

But investigators with the FAA say some laser light holiday displays are proving dangerous for pilots.

"It's something that most people don't think about when they're putting up some kind of display or anything like that. They don't realize that they might be causing a problem," Danny Kelly, retired pilot said.

Kelly says he's not surprised to hear what happened to an American Airlines crew recently.

FAA officials say the Boeing 737 was impacted by a laser while flying at 13,000 feet!

A Dallas police helicopter traced the beam back to a home about 22 miles east of DFW Airport.

"The intent is what's important. Obviously these people did not intend for this to happen. If they had been told by the FAA to shut it off and they don't then that might border on being violating a criminal law otherwise no it's not," Kelly said.

Kelly says those who choose to purchase and set up laser light displays need to make sure they're pointed at the house, and not the sky.

And he has a message for those buying into this emerging holiday decorating technology -- lighting up their homes without care.

"I'd tell them to stop immediately -- because first of all, they're endangering people's lives and second of all, they're endangering people's health and third, they themselves could end up in criminal prosecution," Kelly said.

Kelly says the FAA would most likely first ask the homeowners who are shooting lasers into the sky to turn them off, or redirect them.

If that doesn't happen, that's when they could face prosecution.