Narrative:

At FL390 we experienced a small flash of light in the cockpit. We were not in rain and no previous lightning. A strong burning smell in the cockpit. The flight attendants called and reported strong smoke smell in all of the cabin. Radios became unreadable for approximately 5 mins. Smell continued to landing. Agents noticed the strong odor when they opened the door. All lavatories and galleys were checked for problems -- none discovered. No circuit breakers found popped. Only abnormal notice was momentary. Flight attendant reported a noise in the aircraft aft prior to smoke smell in the cabin. Mechanics worked all day checking on the aircraft, so we could ferry it back. They found that lightning had hit the side of the aircraft 28 times. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain said this lightning strike was unlike any other she had experienced, very mild almost a non event. The crew declared an emergency and returned to their departure point where it remained for 24 hours while being inspected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 RECEIVED 28 LIGHTNING STRIKES AT FL390 WITH A BURNING SMELL THROUGHOUT THE ACFT. RADIO DISRUPTION OCCURRED AND ONLY A SMALL FLASH NOTED. RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: AT FL390 WE EXPERIENCED A SMALL FLASH OF LIGHT IN THE COCKPIT. WE WERE NOT IN RAIN AND NO PREVIOUS LIGHTNING. A STRONG BURNING SMELL IN THE COCKPIT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED AND RPTED STRONG SMOKE SMELL IN ALL OF THE CABIN. RADIOS BECAME UNREADABLE FOR APPROX 5 MINS. SMELL CONTINUED TO LNDG. AGENTS NOTICED THE STRONG ODOR WHEN THEY OPENED THE DOOR. ALL LAVATORIES AND GALLEYS WERE CHKED FOR PROBS -- NONE DISCOVERED. NO CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOUND POPPED. ONLY ABNORMAL NOTICE WAS MOMENTARY. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED A NOISE IN THE ACFT AFT PRIOR TO SMOKE SMELL IN THE CABIN. MECHS WORKED ALL DAY CHKING ON THE ACFT, SO WE COULD FERRY IT BACK. THEY FOUND THAT LIGHTNING HAD HIT THE SIDE OF THE ACFT 28 TIMES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT SAID THIS LIGHTNING STRIKE WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER SHE HAD EXPERIENCED, VERY MILD ALMOST A NON EVENT. THE CREW DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO THEIR DEP POINT WHERE IT REMAINED FOR 24 HRS WHILE BEING INSPECTED.

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.