Narrative:

Passing through 10000 ft MSL while in a climb to 13000 ft assigned, a huge lightning strike occurred very close to the aircraft. The flight attendant reported that a few passenger had seen sparks near the left engine area and because of the close proximity of the lightning, I felt the probability very high that we had a lightning strike. There were numerous thunderstorms in the area. I contacted company maintenance control, explained the situation, and we agreed to return to our departure airport (10 mins away). We were scheduled to fly from cvg to houston (iah). Since we had just taken off from cvg, we were over our maximum gross landing weight by about 1850 pounds (maximum gross landing weight is 47000 pounds). Because we didn't know the extent of any damage, if any, from the lightning strike and we didn't want to fly around for another 1 1/2 hours more to burn off the excess fuel avoiding the numerous thunderstorms, from the safety point of view, both maintenance control and I agreed it was better to land as soon as possible. We returned back to cvg and landed with no further incident. Both the suspected lightning strike and the landing over maximum gross landing weight were written up. Upon reflection, I would have made the same decision to return to our original departure point and land as soon as possible. It seems too much emphasis is placed on maintaining flight schedules during severe WX alerts. ATC is saturated and events/incidents will occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT ENCOUNTERS LIGHTNING STRIKE ON DEP FROM CVG. RETURNS FOR LNDG AS A PRECAUTION.

Narrative: PASSING THROUGH 10000 FT MSL WHILE IN A CLB TO 13000 FT ASSIGNED, A HUGE LIGHTNING STRIKE OCCURRED VERY CLOSE TO THE ACFT. THE FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT A FEW PAX HAD SEEN SPARKS NEAR THE L ENG AREA AND BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF THE LIGHTNING, I FELT THE PROBABILITY VERY HIGH THAT WE HAD A LIGHTNING STRIKE. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TSTMS IN THE AREA. I CONTACTED COMPANY MAINT CTL, EXPLAINED THE SIT, AND WE AGREED TO RETURN TO OUR DEP ARPT (10 MINS AWAY). WE WERE SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM CVG TO HOUSTON (IAH). SINCE WE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM CVG, WE WERE OVER OUR MAX GROSS LNDG WT BY ABOUT 1850 LBS (MAX GROSS LNDG WT IS 47000 LBS). BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF ANY DAMAGE, IF ANY, FROM THE LIGHTNING STRIKE AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO FLY AROUND FOR ANOTHER 1 1/2 HRS MORE TO BURN OFF THE EXCESS FUEL AVOIDING THE NUMEROUS TSTMS, FROM THE SAFETY POINT OF VIEW, BOTH MAINT CTL AND I AGREED IT WAS BETTER TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE RETURNED BACK TO CVG AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. BOTH THE SUSPECTED LIGHTNING STRIKE AND THE LNDG OVER MAX GROSS LNDG WT WERE WRITTEN UP. UPON REFLECTION, I WOULD HAVE MADE THE SAME DECISION TO RETURN TO OUR ORIGINAL DEP POINT AND LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT SEEMS TOO MUCH EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON MAINTAINING FLT SCHEDULES DURING SEVERE WX ALERTS. ATC IS SATURATED AND EVENTS/INCIDENTS WILL OCCUR.

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.