<< >> NASA ASRS Report 207306, April 1992

Air carrier large transport had a lightning strike that caused enough of a distraction that the crew climbed above its assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	207306
Time
Date	199204
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rst
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rst artcc : lecm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	207306
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Captain working WX radar to get away through a line of thunderstorms. First officer flying. Instructed to level off at 8000 ft by departure. Iþm the flight engineer. A lightning strike close about 2 ft from first officer right side. I got busy dealing with the generators keeping them on line. The flight attendants called to say that they had sparks inside the cabin. So I was dealing with that also. About that time, I looked up to discuss this with the captain who was watching the generators, WX listening to the flight attendants. We both realized then that we were climbing through 8400 and leveled off at 8600. Descend back to 8000. All ATC said was maintain 8000. They never asked our altitude or questioned it. Iþm still on probation and want to protect myself if something comes up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT HAD A LIGHTNING STRIKE THAT CAUSED ENOUGH OF A DISTR THAT THE CREW CLBED ABOVE ITS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: CAPT WORKING WX RADAR TO GET AWAY THROUGH A LINE OF TSTMS. FO FLYING. INSTRUCTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 8000 FT BY DEP. IþM THE FE. A LIGHTNING STRIKE CLOSE ABOUT 2 FT FROM FO R SIDE. I GOT BUSY DEALING WITH THE GENERATORS KEEPING THEM ON LINE. THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED TO SAY THAT THEY HAD SPARKS INSIDE THE CABIN. SO I WAS DEALING WITH THAT ALSO. ABOUT THAT TIME, I LOOKED UP TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE CAPT WHO WAS WATCHING THE GENERATORS, WX LISTENING TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS. WE BOTH REALIZED THEN THAT WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 8400 AND LEVELED OFF AT 8600. DSND BACK TO 8000. ALL ATC SAID WAS MAINTAIN 8000. THEY NEVER ASKED OUR ALT OR QUESTIONED IT. IþM STILL ON PROBATION AND WANT TO PROTECT MYSELF IF SOMETHING COMES UP.

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