Narrative:

I accepted an aircraft for a part 121 revenue flight after the aircraft had experienced a lightning strike. The post- lightning strike inspection was completed as per our air carrier's pilot operating handbook. All avionics operated normally and no structural damage was found. The flight operated normally from roa to dca. I was contacted 6 days later by our chief pilot concerning the aircraft. He stated that maintenance discovered a hole in the elevator measuring approximately 1 inch by 3 inches. He assumed that the hole was a result of the lightning strike. I feel that it is unreasonable and unsafe for our company to have a procedure that does not necessitate a postflt inspection by qualified maintenance personnel. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the current post- lightning strike inspection in the air carrier's pilot operating handbook states that there are 2 types of damage that can result from a lightning strike -- damage from the strike itself, and damage from the discharge of static electricity. Some of the required checks are ahrs, standby ahrs, VHF communications and navs, EFIS displays, altimeters, magnetic compass, and radar. Nowhere in the procedure is any specific reference made to structural checks. Reporter states that possible lightning damage should require contract or company maintenance inspection. At minimum, the procedure should do a better job of addressing checks for structural damage. The company mechanics have what is called a 'task card' for aircraft on post-lightning strike inspection. The captain would like to see and use the task card, if he is going to be required to do the inspection. Reporter was not aware of the degree of structural damage that could occur from a lightning strike. But, the pilot who later received the aircraft from him was knowledgeable about lightning strike damage and still failed to catch the tail damage. The reporter did perform a walk around and did look up at the tail, but states that it was raining at the time, and the tail is approximately 30 ft high.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A DH8-100 FAILED TO NOTICE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE ELEVATOR DURING A POST-LIGHTNING STRIKE INSPECTION. 6 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE CAPT WAS CONTACTED BY THE CHIEF PLT REGARDING THE HOLE IN THE ELEVATOR. THE PLT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) PROC EMPHASIZES AND REQUIRES THE CAPT'S SIGNATURE FOR AVIONICS CHKS, ONLY.

Narrative: I ACCEPTED AN ACFT FOR A PART 121 REVENUE FLT AFTER THE ACFT HAD EXPERIENCED A LIGHTNING STRIKE. THE POST- LIGHTNING STRIKE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AS PER OUR ACR'S PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK. ALL AVIONICS OPERATED NORMALLY AND NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS FOUND. THE FLT OPERATED NORMALLY FROM ROA TO DCA. I WAS CONTACTED 6 DAYS LATER BY OUR CHIEF PLT CONCERNING THE ACFT. HE STATED THAT MAINT DISCOVERED A HOLE IN THE ELEVATOR MEASURING APPROX 1 INCH BY 3 INCHES. HE ASSUMED THAT THE HOLE WAS A RESULT OF THE LIGHTNING STRIKE. I FEEL THAT IT IS UNREASONABLE AND UNSAFE FOR OUR COMPANY TO HAVE A PROC THAT DOES NOT NECESSITATE A POSTFLT INSPECTION BY QUALIFIED MAINT PERSONNEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CURRENT POST- LIGHTNING STRIKE INSPECTION IN THE ACR'S PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK STATES THAT THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF DAMAGE THAT CAN RESULT FROM A LIGHTNING STRIKE -- DAMAGE FROM THE STRIKE ITSELF, AND DAMAGE FROM THE DISCHARGE OF STATIC ELECTRICITY. SOME OF THE REQUIRED CHKS ARE AHRS, STANDBY AHRS, VHF COMS AND NAVS, EFIS DISPLAYS, ALTIMETERS, MAGNETIC COMPASS, AND RADAR. NOWHERE IN THE PROC IS ANY SPECIFIC REF MADE TO STRUCTURAL CHKS. RPTR STATES THAT POSSIBLE LIGHTNING DAMAGE SHOULD REQUIRE CONTRACT OR COMPANY MAINT INSPECTION. AT MINIMUM, THE PROC SHOULD DO A BETTER JOB OF ADDRESSING CHKS FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE COMPANY MECHS HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A 'TASK CARD' FOR ACFT ON POST-LIGHTNING STRIKE INSPECTION. THE CAPT WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND USE THE TASK CARD, IF HE IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO DO THE INSPECTION. RPTR WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DEG OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE THAT COULD OCCUR FROM A LIGHTNING STRIKE. BUT, THE PLT WHO LATER RECEIVED THE ACFT FROM HIM WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT LIGHTNING STRIKE DAMAGE AND STILL FAILED TO CATCH THE TAIL DAMAGE. THE RPTR DID PERFORM A WALK AROUND AND DID LOOK UP AT THE TAIL, BUT STATES THAT IT WAS RAINING AT THE TIME, AND THE TAIL IS APPROX 30 FT HIGH.

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.