Narrative:

On apr/mon/98, I operated a B737-500, from ewr to dfw. During flight planning, I noted a large area of widely scattered convective activity along our route of flight. En route between bwg and byp, we altered course to maintain safe distance of 25-30 mi from cells depicted on radar. Flight operated normally and landed at dfw without apparent incident. On the morning of apr/tue/98, I was informed by management that the crew picking up the aircraft discovered damage to the #2 engine cowl from an apparent lightning strike. Damage was not present prior to flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 PIC RPT REGARDING DAMAGE TO HIS ACFT BY A POSSIBLE LIGHTNING STRIKE WHILE DETOURING TSTMS. DAMAGE FOUND THE NEXT DAY BY THE NEXT CREW.

Narrative: ON APR/MON/98, I OPERATED A B737-500, FROM EWR TO DFW. DURING FLT PLANNING, I NOTED A LARGE AREA OF WIDELY SCATTERED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALONG OUR RTE OF FLT. ENRTE BTWN BWG AND BYP, WE ALTERED COURSE TO MAINTAIN SAFE DISTANCE OF 25-30 MI FROM CELLS DEPICTED ON RADAR. FLT OPERATED NORMALLY AND LANDED AT DFW WITHOUT APPARENT INCIDENT. ON THE MORNING OF APR/TUE/98, I WAS INFORMED BY MGMNT THAT THE CREW PICKING UP THE ACFT DISCOVERED DAMAGE TO THE #2 ENG COWL FROM AN APPARENT LIGHTNING STRIKE. DAMAGE WAS NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO FLT.

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.