Lightning strike. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	283995
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	283995
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Heavy thunderstorm activity in area necessitated extensive deviating. Had just cleared thunderstorm activity and entered a relatively clear area with a small rain shower in front of aircraft. Entered rain shower and bright lightning flash observed in area of left wing. Air was smooth and no activity in front of aircraft on radar or stormscope. In approximately 3 mins broke through rain shower into clear. As progressed down V-295 to blufi intersection, could not get either ADF to settle down enough to identify AR1 with aew NDB. Called controller and advised that could not identify AR1. He stated had been calling us for some distance. I stated had experienced lightning activity and could not identify AR1. ATC provided vector and flight continued to destination without further incident. After landing, found approximately 1/2 inch burn spot on trailing edge of left flap. Ferried aircraft to home base for complete maintenance check. Suspect lightning temporarily interfered with communication radios and ADF.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHTNING STRIKE.

Narrative: HVY TSTM ACTIVITY IN AREA NECESSITATED EXTENSIVE DEVIATING. HAD JUST CLRED TSTM ACTIVITY AND ENTERED A RELATIVELY CLR AREA WITH A SMALL RAIN SHOWER IN FRONT OF ACFT. ENTERED RAIN SHOWER AND BRIGHT LIGHTNING FLASH OBSERVED IN AREA OF L WING. AIR WAS SMOOTH AND NO ACTIVITY IN FRONT OF ACFT ON RADAR OR STORMSCOPE. IN APPROX 3 MINS BROKE THROUGH RAIN SHOWER INTO CLR. AS PROGRESSED DOWN V-295 TO BLUFI INTXN, COULD NOT GET EITHER ADF TO SETTLE DOWN ENOUGH TO IDENT AR1 WITH AEW NDB. CALLED CTLR AND ADVISED THAT COULD NOT IDENT AR1. HE STATED HAD BEEN CALLING US FOR SOME DISTANCE. I STATED HAD EXPERIENCED LIGHTNING ACTIVITY AND COULD NOT IDENT AR1. ATC PROVIDED VECTOR AND FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG, FOUND APPROX 1/2 INCH BURN SPOT ON TRAILING EDGE OF L FLAP. FERRIED ACFT TO HOME BASE FOR COMPLETE MAINT CHK. SUSPECT LIGHTNING TEMPORARILY INTERFERED WITH COM RADIOS AND ADF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.