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Commercial aircraft was struck by lightning during arrival. Generators and primary flight instruments were momentarily lost. Flight declared emergency and landed at destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 771024 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200801 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Ice Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 771024 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
During our initial descent into ZZZ; while level at 9000 ft; IMC; with level 3 icing; and moderate turbulence; the aircraft was struck by lightning. Multiple system failures occurred; including but not limited to loss of both dc generators and the AC inverter. This also caused the complete loss of both EFIS system as well as the autoplt/flight director system. I immediately declared an emergency with center. During the few mins required to bring our primary system back on line; our altitude deviated 1000 ft. We had climbed from our assigned altitude of 9000 ft to 10000 ft. I asked ATC to confirm our altitude during the deviation; at which time we immediately returned to 9000 ft. The lightning strike was both seen and heard by all on board. Loss of primary flight instrumentation was visually observed by both pilots.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: COMMERCIAL ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING DURING ARRIVAL. GENERATORS AND PRIMARY FLT INSTRUMENTS WERE MOMENTARILY LOST. FLT DECLARED EMER AND LANDED AT DEST.
Narrative: DURING OUR INITIAL DSCNT INTO ZZZ; WHILE LEVEL AT 9000 FT; IMC; WITH LEVEL 3 ICING; AND MODERATE TURB; THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MULTIPLE SYS FAILURES OCCURRED; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF BOTH DC GENERATORS AND THE AC INVERTER. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE COMPLETE LOSS OF BOTH EFIS SYS AS WELL AS THE AUTOPLT/FLT DIRECTOR SYS. I IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH CTR. DURING THE FEW MINS REQUIRED TO BRING OUR PRIMARY SYS BACK ON LINE; OUR ALT DEVIATED 1000 FT. WE HAD CLBED FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT TO 10000 FT. I ASKED ATC TO CONFIRM OUR ALT DURING THE DEV; AT WHICH TIME WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 9000 FT. THE LIGHTNING STRIKE WAS BOTH SEEN AND HEARD BY ALL ON BOARD. LOSS OF PRIMARY FLT INSTRUMENTATION WAS VISUALLY OBSERVED BY BOTH PLTS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.