What would happen if lightning struck an aircraft while in flight?

Question

Would it affect the electrical components on board?

Answer 1

It is a very common occurence actually. Aircraft consistently fly at altitudes where lighting exists and through weather where it becomes an issue, yet a US airliner hasnt been brought down by lightning in about 40 years. Aircraft have, for about 80 years now, been shielded against outside electrical influences. The skin of an airplane is made of metal. Electricity flows through the path of least resistance. Electrical components of an aircraft derive the work done by them through resistance. SO: Unless forced to do so by a circuit, electricity will tend to avoid work.

The lightning bolt will flow through the skin of the aircraft and be dissipated by the little wires sticking off the back of the wings. Those are called static wicks, and are there to remove a latent electrical charge from the exterior of that aircraft in the event of static buildup or lightning strike.

That is not to say that aircraft are immune from lightning damage though. About a year ago one of our planes was struck. No life-threatening damage occured, but it did burn a hole in one of the gear doors. It was interesting however, because looking at the airplne, I could actually see the path that the bolt took upon striking the plane. It went from the gear door, up the fuselage, out the wings, and finally to a static wick. While the paint and a little exterior metal was burned, nothing inside took even a minute amount of damage. All electronics functioned perfectly throughout the event.

Answer 2

General aviation aircraft and commercial aircraft must meet federal regulations which specify that all critical system have proper bonding so that if a lightning strike occurs it won't harm those systems. Basically, each critical electrical actuator, circuit board, or piece of avionics needs to be able to pass the current on to a controlled path in the airframe. If the lightning path is somehow broken, or components are improperly installed it is possible to damage those components in a lightening strike, but these types of aircraft are also designed to continue safe flight with some level of critical system loss.

Answer 3

Although it CAN have catastrophic implications, the vast majority of lightning strikes don't cause any problems.

Contrary to what many other have posted, it's not due to the aircraft not being grounded. It actually IS in the path of a complete circuit, from the cloud to the ground, so from that standpoint it most certainly IS grounded!

The aircraft is protected by its metal skin; the current flows along the skin on the outside of the aircraft, not through the inside of the aircraft and its electrical systems.

Although the risk of catastrophic damage is low it is not non-existant. For this reason, pilots avoid flying into known lightning conditions or into conditions where the meteorological conditions are ripe for lightning.

Answer 4

Lightning strikes can cause damage to electronic equipment, as well as puncture the skin of the aircraft. It can also cause a temporary loss of vision to the pilot. That doesn't mean that every lightning strike causes damage though. Some strikes do no harm and the electricity is discharged through the static wicks.

As a general rule, the FAA recommends pilots stay at least 20 miles away from thunderstorm cells. The main hazard is not lightning, but the turbulence and wind shear associated with the storm cell.

Answer 5

I've heard that this is actually not likely to be possible because the altitude of the aircraft is much higher than the lightning and the clouds. Aircraft also take precautions by installing strategically placed lightning rods that absorb high electricity surges, just in case a plane goes in for a landing or takoff and is struck. So to answer your question plainly, if it is struck it will hit a lightning rod that will absorb the energy and cause no damage.

Answer 6

nothing...it happens all the time
It is estimated that on average, each airplane in the U.S. commercial fleet is struck lightly by lightning more than once each year. In fact, aircraft often trigger lightning when flying through a heavily charged region of a cloud. In these instances, the lightning flash originates at the airplane and extends away in opposite directions. Although record keeping is poor, smaller business and private airplanes are thought to be struck less frequently because of their small size and because they often can avoid weather that is conducive to lightning strikes.

Answer 7

I was on a plane that was struck by lightning 2 or 3 times (I only remember 1 or 2, but my boss said it was more). It was scarey (lights blinked), but since I am here to tell the story, I doubt it did much damage to the plane.

Answer 8

It could cause damage to the systems. Most of the time, it causes very little difficulty. However, a Pan Am 707 crashed in Maryland in 1963 from a strike.

Answer 9

Yes it is possible to damage the electrical components on the plane. It is also possible for it to blow a whole (somewhere) on the plane from the actual physical damage caused by the lightening. As long as the plane is not damaged to badly,(the wings) you should still be able to land the plane.

Answer 10

Nope. Happens all the time.

The aircraft is not grounded so there is no completion of a circuit.