Has Anyone Ever Been Struck By Lightning in a Recreational Aeroplane?

[eightyknots]

I read or hear, from time to time, about large aeroplanes being struck by lightning (e.g.: http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/new-zealand/5277337/Lightning-strikes-Air-NZ-plane and possibly http://www.smh.com.au/world/ethiopian-airlines-plane-crashes-into-sea-after-take-off-from-beirut-report-20100125-mtye.html).

 

I was therefore wondering if anyone on this forum has ever been struck by lightning in an ultralight/recreational/light aircraft. I would be really interested to hear of your experience(s) and how it affected the pilot, passenger and the aircraft itself.

 

 

[facthunter]

I have been struck by lightning 3 times in larger aircraft. Since U/L's have thinner metal sections and no bonding or static discharge wicks etc, I would suggeat that you would not fare well. My advice to pilots of U/L's as to study meteorology thoroughly and stay away from conditions where a lightning strike is even remotely possible.. Nev

 

 

[farri]

"Scientists at the Florida Institute of Technology, University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Florida have estimated that airplane passengers could be exposed to a radiation dose equal to that from 400 chest X-rays if their airplane happens to be near the start of a lightning discharge or related phenomena known as a terrestrial gamma ray flash."

 

Never been hit, but I went flying one afternoon, when I thought the storm was over and I wasn`t back on the strip 5 minutes, when an almighty bolt occured, right where I`d just been flying!

 

Somehow! I don`t think I`d have fared too well in the Drifter!!!

 

Frank.

 

 

[J170 Owner]

One would have to be a total pratt if he/she got into a situation where they are likely to be struck by lightening while flying a light sport aircraft. My opinion, like it or not.....

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Lightening strikes do not necesarily have to have storm activity nearby. It can be a clear blue sky day.

 

 

[eightyknots]

I have been struck by lightning 3 times in larger aircraft. Since U/L's have thinner metal sections and no bonding or static discharge wicks etc, I would suggeat that you would not fare well. My advice to pilots of U/L's as to study meteorology thoroughly and stay away from conditions where a lightning strike is even remotely possible.. Nev

Nev,

 

Pardon my lack of knowledge in aeronautical engineering but I was wondering whether the metal rivets would provide sufficient bonding? What are the discharge wicks you mentioned ....and is it feasible to fit them ultralight aircraft?

 

 

[Powerin]

One would have to be a total pratt if he/she got into a situation where they are likely to be struck by lightening while flying a light sport aircraft. My opinion, like it or not.....

While it's true you shouldn't be flying anywhere near a storm, I would guess it could be possible to be caught out. Some lightning strikes can jump from a cloud and strike the ground 10-20km away from the storm, sometimes even at a location with blue skies. Such strikes often come from the anvil of the storm and pack a punch up to 10 times more powerful than normal ground strokes. Apparently even commercial aircraft aren't equipped to deal with a strike this powerful, so you would be toast if hit by one.

Accident report for a glider struck by lightning gives you some idea of the effect on a light aircraft.

 

 

[farri]

Yes Ozzie, The storm was gone, the sky had cleared!!!

 

Frank.

 

 

[eightyknots]

While it's true you shouldn't be flying anywhere near a storm, I would guess it could be possible to be caught out. Some lightning strikes can jump from a cloud and strike the ground 10-20km away from the storm, sometimes even at a location with blue skies. Such strikes often come from the anvil of the storm and pack a punch up to 10 times more powerful than normal ground strokes. Apparently even commercial aircraft aren't equipped to deal with a strike this powerful, so you would be toast if hit by one.Accident report for a glider struck by lightning gives you some idea of the effect on a light aircraft.

A very interesting example of a light aircraft struck by lightning and a comprehensive report.

 

* the glider was struck in clear surroundings

 

* it disintegrated and was made of fibreglass (I wonder if it had fared better if it had been an all-aluminium plane?)

 

* the student and instructor survived by parachuting to safety (I wonder how it would have gone with a ballistic parachute?)

 

* 80 kilo Amps is a huge current; this explains the damage caused. I'm surprised the occupants were not burnt more.

 

 

[skyfox1]

"Scientists at the Florida Institute of Technology, University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Florida have estimated that airplane passengers could be exposed to a radiation dose equal to that from 400 chest X-rays if their airplane happens to be near the start of a lightning discharge or related phenomena known as a terrestrial gamma ray flash."Never been hit, but I went flying one afternoon, when I thought the storm was over and I wasn`t back on the strip 5 minutes, when an almighty bolt occured, right where I`d just been flying!

 

Somehow! I don`t think I`d have fared too well in the Drifter!!!

 

Frank.

[Guest ozzie]

Yes Ozzie, The storm was gone, the sky had cleared!!!Frank.

Frank when i was working on the day boats at Airlie Beach we were at Stonehaven near Hook Island and a German backpacker was riding a Wave Runner. It was hit by a ball of lightening that came out of nowhere, it bounced on the water once and then hit her from behind. She suffered a few burns on the butt and was a bit dazed for the trip back. The Wave Runner electrics were toast and the air stank from the ionising effect. Amazing it looked like a plasma ball and it seemed to hunt her down. All over in a couple of seconds. Never covered that in Shipboard Safety. And it was a perfect blue sky day with no wind.

 

 

[Spin]

That accident report makes for fascinating if rather frightening reading. I think one would have to conclude that a composite aircraft is likely to suffer catastrophic damage in a similar situation, from what I read not only did the wings "blow apart" but also the aileron control rods suffered serious damage and detached. Interesting question as to what may have happened in an aluminuim aircraft - one would think that you may be better off with the majority of the current travelling over the conductive surface as apparently happens when a car is struck, but I'd prefer not to have to find out. I have enormous respect for lightning, having lost a friend at school to the proverbial "bolt from the blue". He was standing out of the sun, beneath a tree in the middle of an avenue of similar trees ascending a hill, ie. not the tallest tree nor any particular species and although there was some cloud build up in the distance, there were no signs of any storm activity.

 

RIP Dozy

 

 

[facthunter]

Lightning strikes of airline aircraft are quite common Frank. If the skin is thicker it is rarely perforated and conducts the energy around you and not through you. Often a lightning strike will be heralded with a display of St. Elmo's fire around the edges of the window or going forward from each wingtip. Look up "Faraday Cage", on the net. Gives the circumstances where you are afforded protection from the considerable energy contained in a lightning bolt . Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

An RV was hit on the ground a few days ago in the US. It did a bit of damage, but not enough to be a write off.

 

Those plasma balls seem to travel very slowly, compared with the speed of electricity, but they don't always hurt you. I was on top of a reinforced chimney that was struck and the plasma was all around us. It knocked out the winch driver on the ground, probably by running down the winch cable.

 

 

[facthunter]

ST Elmo's fire.....yes it can be quite eerie CFI.

 

To answer a question a little while back, the static discharge wicks are usually at the wing tips. Bonding is done across control hinges so the high current doesnt melt them, or weld them together.

 

It can knock the radios out and throw the compass into error, and cause night blindness and disorientation for a while

 

Lightning is hard to be able to completely avoid. It is usually associated with very active convective thunderstorms, but can happen in dust storms or Volcano ash.

 

There's phenomenon called "ball" lightning that can run around in aircraft cabins. I've never experienced it, but others have reported it and apparently lived through the experience of having it run all around them. Nev

 

 

[eightyknots]

Here's an interesting video of St Elmo's fire and inflight refueling of Air Force 1:

 

 

 

[farri]

When I was about 6 years old, my father and I were having a shower, in one of those bath rooms (for want of a better word) that were fairly common at the time and consisted of 4 cement posts with a water tank on top and corrigated iron walls.... A lightning bolt hit the ground nearby and we both go a hell of a whack from it! No harm done though!

 

I`ve been hit with 240 volts electricity, several times over the years!

 

... Naaahhh! Hasn`t done me any harm!!!

 

Frank.

 

 

[facthunter]

Well, that might explain a few things, Frank. Nev

 

 

[farri]

[J170 Owner]

Lightening strikes do not necesarily have to have storm activity nearby. It can be a clear blue sky day.

If somebody could explain this to me, I would be grateful because (I am no expert) with all the study I have done in meteorology and atmospheric physics I have not heard that.

 

 

[Powerin]

ah St Elmo's ....it is a most amazing sight...props throwing bright green sparks..a crawling (green) spiderweb on the windscreen...the screech of the vhf radio as the potential builds and then....."#!@%$^&*( was that!"!!!

I've experienced this radio screech on the ground in a vehicle many times during storms....AM radio static builds up to a loud screech and then a lightning strike will "relieve the pressure" and instantly the screech stops. I've always assumed this was a St Elmo's fire type of phenomenon when travelling over a charged area of ground. But I've never heard anyone mention it before...thanks CFI.

 

 

[Spin]

"I`ve been hit with 240 volts electricity, several times over the years!

 

... Naaahhh! Hasn`t done me any harm!!!

 

Frank."

 

Bright Spark!!??