The plane, which flew from Dallas, landed safely late on Sept. 22. The other pilot was not injured, according to The Washington Times, which first reported the story on Wednesday.

A joint investigation involving the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is attempting to uncover the source of the intense red light.

"Our primary focus of course is going to be on public safety - safety of the pilot and the safety of the passengers on the plane," said FBI spokesman Bob Wright. He said the terrorism task force is investigating because the incident involved "major public transportation."

TSA security director for Utah Earl Morris said the Salt Lake airport has never before had a laser-related incident. But hundreds of similar events have occurred nationwide, according to the FAA - and many have involved laser pointers.

The FAA documented the dangers of laser pointers in an April 2001 report, which stated that more than 150 instances of lasers illuminating cockpits of commercial, private and military aircraft occurred between January 1996 and July 1999.

"The danger from laser pointer illumination is the visible beam hitting an aircraft's windshield, which can scatter light and completely obliterate a pilot's forward vision," the report states.

In a 1997 case, an Airworld Airbus from Crete was hit by a laser pointer two miles from the Manchester, England, airport, forcing the captain to look away. The plane landed safely.

While most commercial laser pointers are not powerful enough to harm a person, others, used by such groups as astronomers, can cause injuries, the report states.

Morris said it would have to be a strong laser pointer to travel such a distance.

"We don't believe it was a [common] laser pointer," he said. "Obviously it would have to be powerful if it burned the retina of a pilot."

Delta spokesman Anthony Black refused to release the pilot's identity or comment on his condition, but Morris said, "Our understanding is that he is going to be fine."

The pilot, a first officer, will remain on leave until he heals.

mcanham@sltrib.com