Narrative:

While descending into XXX; approach control advised below landing minimums for ILS runway 5. Runway 23 was not usable due to tailwind component. We were being radar vectored to a holding pattern. Conditions were in clouds; light rain; light turbulence. WX radar showed scattered light returns. While descending from approximately 13000 ft to 10000 ft; we began to notice st elmo's fire on the nose of the aircraft. It intensified for a few seconds followed by a loud bang and flash. We were both blinded for a few seconds. The autoplt disengaged; ELT activated and nose door warning illuminated. We declared an emergency and requested a turn back towards ZZZ and YYY. Also; requested a climb back to 13000 ft to get above clouds and icing conditions. We then checked and determined that all system were operating normally (engine; electrical; hydraulics; pressurization). The captain flew the aircraft while I performed all QRH procedures. The captain also noticed that there was visible damage to the nose section of the aircraft. After a brief discussion; we decided to return to YYY because of the availability of long runways; VFR WX; and crash fire rescue equipment. WX in ZZZ was deteriorating; with visibility 2 mi and fog. I notified the flight attendant; made an announcement to the passenger; and talked to dispatch. We performed a normal landing on runway 18R at YYY with crash fire rescue equipment standing by. After landing; we stopped the aircraft on the taxiway while crash fire rescue equipment performed a visual inspection. Crash fire rescue equipment notified us that there was damage to the nose section and right stabilizer; but it was safe to continue to the gate. As the passenger deplaned; I stood in the doorway and briefly talked to them. There were no passenger complaints or signs of injuries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CARJ EXPERIENCE STATIC DISCHARGE FOLLOWING ENCOUNTER WITH ST ELMO'S FIRE. INCIDENT CAUSES MOMENTARY DISENGAGEMENT OF AUTOPLT AND OTHER SPURIOUS ANOMALIES. FLT CREW DECLARE EMER; CLB OUT OF CLOUDS AND DIVERT TO ANOTHER ARPT FOR INSPECTION BY CFR.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO XXX; APCH CTL ADVISED BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS FOR ILS RWY 5. RWY 23 WAS NOT USABLE DUE TO TAILWIND COMPONENT. WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED TO A HOLDING PATTERN. CONDITIONS WERE IN CLOUDS; LIGHT RAIN; LIGHT TURB. WX RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED LIGHT RETURNS. WHILE DSNDING FROM APPROX 13000 FT TO 10000 FT; WE BEGAN TO NOTICE ST ELMO'S FIRE ON THE NOSE OF THE ACFT. IT INTENSIFIED FOR A FEW SECONDS FOLLOWED BY A LOUD BANG AND FLASH. WE WERE BOTH BLINDED FOR A FEW SECONDS. THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED; ELT ACTIVATED AND NOSE DOOR WARNING ILLUMINATED. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED A TURN BACK TOWARDS ZZZ AND YYY. ALSO; REQUESTED A CLB BACK TO 13000 FT TO GET ABOVE CLOUDS AND ICING CONDITIONS. WE THEN CHKED AND DETERMINED THAT ALL SYS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY (ENG; ELECTRICAL; HYDS; PRESSURIZATION). THE CAPT FLEW THE ACFT WHILE I PERFORMED ALL QRH PROCS. THE CAPT ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION OF THE ACFT. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION; WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO YYY BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF LONG RWYS; VFR WX; AND CFR. WX IN ZZZ WAS DETERIORATING; WITH VISIBILITY 2 MI AND FOG. I NOTIFIED THE FLT ATTENDANT; MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX; AND TALKED TO DISPATCH. WE PERFORMED A NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 18R AT YYY WITH CFR STANDING BY. AFTER LNDG; WE STOPPED THE ACFT ON THE TXWY WHILE CFR PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION. CFR NOTIFIED US THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION AND R STABILIZER; BUT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE TO THE GATE. AS THE PAX DEPLANED; I STOOD IN THE DOORWAY AND BRIEFLY TALKED TO THEM. THERE WERE NO PAX COMPLAINTS OR SIGNS OF INJURIES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.