Air carrier flight experiences lightning strike on departure, captain suffers blurred vision and tin...

Attributes
ACN	463856
Time
Date	200002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : d21.tracon
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d21.tracon tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	463856
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

On climb out of dtw passing through 13000 ft the front left side of aircraft was struck by lightning. Initially the captain and I were blinded for approximately 20-30 seconds. After, we both asked each other if we were ok and then checked all instruments and system. All system seemed normal and the captain mentioned some 'blurredness' in his left eye. We decided it would be fine to continue to cvg. Roughly 20 mins out from cvg the captain told me he had tingling in his left arm and still blurred vision in his left eye. At this time he gave me the flying duties while he assumed the non flying duties. When we got on with tower frequency he asked that a medic meet us at the gate. I assumed tower declared an emergency as the entire crash fire rescue equipment has been deployed. Approach, landing and taxi were non eventful. Medic met us at gate and suggested the captain go to hospital for a routine check.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT EXPERIENCES LIGHTNING STRIKE ON DEP, CAPT SUFFERS BLURRED VISION AND TINGLING IN ARM.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF DTW PASSING THROUGH 13000 FT THE FRONT L SIDE OF ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. INITIALLY THE CAPT AND I WERE BLINDED FOR APPROX 20-30 SECONDS. AFTER, WE BOTH ASKED EACH OTHER IF WE WERE OK AND THEN CHKED ALL INSTS AND SYS. ALL SYS SEEMED NORMAL AND THE CAPT MENTIONED SOME 'BLURREDNESS' IN HIS L EYE. WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE FINE TO CONTINUE TO CVG. ROUGHLY 20 MINS OUT FROM CVG THE CAPT TOLD ME HE HAD TINGLING IN HIS L ARM AND STILL BLURRED VISION IN HIS L EYE. AT THIS TIME HE GAVE ME THE FLYING DUTIES WHILE HE ASSUMED THE NON FLYING DUTIES. WHEN WE GOT ON WITH TWR FREQ HE ASKED THAT A MEDIC MEET US AT THE GATE. I ASSUMED TWR DECLARED AN EMER AS THE ENTIRE CFR HAS BEEN DEPLOYED. APCH, LNDG AND TAXI WERE NON EVENTFUL. MEDIC MET US AT GATE AND SUGGESTED THE CAPT GO TO HOSPITAL FOR A ROUTINE CHK.

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.

Air carrier flight experiences lightning strike on departure, captain suffers blurred vision and tingling in arm.