Narrative:

Descending to avp, the aircraft was struck by lightning. 5-10 mins prior to strike, receiving light chop. The ride was smooth IMC, light rain, temperature approximately -6 degrees C to 0 degrees C. At the time of strike, heard loud bang along with lightning flash. Immediately referenced engine instruments which all appeared normal. All other instruments/radios were unaffected. After discussing the incident with the captain, flight attendant and passenger (about 5 mins), the captain observed a piece of the winglet missing. We discussed the possibility of additional damage to the wing. We decided to inspect the wing for further damage. I, the PNF, went to the cabin to inspect the wing. Found no additional damage. Upon returning to the cockpit, we decided to declare an emergency and land at the nearest airport, which happened to be our destination. The landing was uneventful. The control and maneuverability of the aircraft were never affected. At the time of the strike, no PIREPS for convective activity was reported, no lightning observed, radar showed light rain and destination ATIS reported no precipitation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MDT FLYING THROUGH ZNY AIRSPACE HAS A LIGHTNING STRIKE AND DECLARES AN EMER WHEN A WINGLET IS KNOCKED OFF THE WING.

Narrative: DSNDING TO AVP, THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. 5-10 MINS PRIOR TO STRIKE, RECEIVING LIGHT CHOP. THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH IMC, LIGHT RAIN, TEMP APPROX -6 DEGS C TO 0 DEGS C. AT THE TIME OF STRIKE, HEARD LOUD BANG ALONG WITH LIGHTNING FLASH. IMMEDIATELY REFED ENG INSTS WHICH ALL APPEARED NORMAL. ALL OTHER INSTS/RADIOS WERE UNAFFECTED. AFTER DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT WITH THE CAPT, FLT ATTENDANT AND PAX (ABOUT 5 MINS), THE CAPT OBSERVED A PIECE OF THE WINGLET MISSING. WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE WING. WE DECIDED TO INSPECT THE WING FOR FURTHER DAMAGE. I, THE PNF, WENT TO THE CABIN TO INSPECT THE WING. FOUND NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. UPON RETURNING TO THE COCKPIT, WE DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE OUR DEST. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE CTL AND MANEUVERABILITY OF THE ACFT WERE NEVER AFFECTED. AT THE TIME OF THE STRIKE, NO PIREPS FOR CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WAS RPTED, NO LIGHTNING OBSERVED, RADAR SHOWED LIGHT RAIN AND DEST ATIS RPTED NO PRECIP.

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.