An MD80 on climb out diverted due to a lightning strike causing the right engine to spool down.

Attributes
ACN	378286
Time
Date	199708
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tower : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	378286
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb out, received either a lightning strike or had a static discharge. There was a lightning bolt very close, but I'm not sure it hit us. Right engine started to spool down but came right back up, almost like a compressor stall. All equipment checked out normal but returned to departure airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft has P&west JT8D-217 engines and no electronic fuel controls. The reporter said the lightning bolt struck the strake below the first officer's side window and at that time only the right engine began to lose power, N1, N2 and egt began to drop then came back up to normal. The reporter stated the first class passenger and the flight attendant observed a fireball leap from the right forward galley to the left forward galley. The reporter stated that when maintenance called P&west they were advised that this type of incident, while not common, has been known to happen occasionally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ON CLBOUT DIVERTED DUE TO A LIGHTNING STRIKE CAUSING THE R ENG TO SPOOL DOWN.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT, RECEIVED EITHER A LIGHTNING STRIKE OR HAD A STATIC DISCHARGE. THERE WAS A LIGHTNING BOLT VERY CLOSE, BUT I'M NOT SURE IT HIT US. R ENG STARTED TO SPOOL DOWN BUT CAME RIGHT BACK UP, ALMOST LIKE A COMPRESSOR STALL. ALL EQUIP CHKED OUT NORMAL BUT RETURNED TO DEP ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT HAS P&W JT8D-217 ENGS AND NO ELECTRONIC FUEL CTLS. THE RPTR SAID THE LIGHTNING BOLT STRUCK THE STRAKE BELOW THE FO'S SIDE WINDOW AND AT THAT TIME ONLY THE R ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR, N1, N2 AND EGT BEGAN TO DROP THEN CAME BACK UP TO NORMAL. THE RPTR STATED THE FIRST CLASS PAX AND THE FLT ATTENDANT OBSERVED A FIREBALL LEAP FROM THE R FORWARD GALLEY TO THE L FORWARD GALLEY. THE RPTR STATED THAT WHEN MAINT CALLED P&W THEY WERE ADVISED THAT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT, WHILE NOT COMMON, HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY.

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.