Air carrier small transport struck by lightning.

Attributes
ACN	86729
Time
Date	198804
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cip airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5150
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit tower : fnt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 277 flight time total : 2578
ASRS Report	86729
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route from fkl to pit. Flying the fkl VOR 181 degree right to the grace intersection cruising at 5000' in light precipitation was struck by lightning. Was blinded for 3 seconds by a blue flash, climbed 150' from assigned altitude of 5000', a loud crack was heard, moderate turbulence was felt, and a smell of burnt hair smelled. After asking my first officer if he was all right, I told him to ask the 8 passenger if they were all right, which they were. Asked pit approach for 4000' immediately, which they gave us. I slowed to maneuvering speed (136 KTS) and all control surfaces were free and correct. We proceeded to pit and did the ILS 28L approach, landed west/O any problems, taxied to parking and shut down. Upon exiting the aircraft, I noticed the nose wheel was burnt (entry) and the upper rudder hinge bonding strap was in two and the paint was burnt. The top of the rudder was cracked and the static wick was missing. I then called du bois dispatch and told dispatcher on duty what had happened. He told me that air carrier maintenance inspector was on his way back to du bois, and to have him look at the damage. In turn, he told me it was not flyable, so the aircraft stayed in pit over night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM FKL TO PIT. FLYING THE FKL VOR 181 DEG R TO THE GRACE INTXN CRUISING AT 5000' IN LIGHT PRECIPITATION WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. WAS BLINDED FOR 3 SECS BY A BLUE FLASH, CLBED 150' FROM ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000', A LOUD CRACK WAS HEARD, MODERATE TURB WAS FELT, AND A SMELL OF BURNT HAIR SMELLED. AFTER ASKING MY F/O IF HE WAS ALL RIGHT, I TOLD HIM TO ASK THE 8 PAX IF THEY WERE ALL RIGHT, WHICH THEY WERE. ASKED PIT APCH FOR 4000' IMMEDIATELY, WHICH THEY GAVE US. I SLOWED TO MANEUVERING SPD (136 KTS) AND ALL CTL SURFACES WERE FREE AND CORRECT. WE PROCEEDED TO PIT AND DID THE ILS 28L APCH, LANDED W/O ANY PROBS, TAXIED TO PARKING AND SHUT DOWN. UPON EXITING THE ACFT, I NOTICED THE NOSE WHEEL WAS BURNT (ENTRY) AND THE UPPER RUDDER HINGE BONDING STRAP WAS IN TWO AND THE PAINT WAS BURNT. THE TOP OF THE RUDDER WAS CRACKED AND THE STATIC WICK WAS MISSING. I THEN CALLED DU BOIS DISPATCH AND TOLD DISPATCHER ON DUTY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE TOLD ME THAT ACR MAINT INSPECTOR WAS ON HIS WAY BACK TO DU BOIS, AND TO HAVE HIM LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. IN TURN, HE TOLD ME IT WAS NOT FLYABLE, SO THE ACFT STAYED IN PIT OVER NIGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.