Lightning strike on corporate jet.

Attributes
ACN	298524
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rzs airport : smx
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	298524
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 8400
ASRS Report	298521
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The encounter took place on the last leg of the 5 leg trip. We departed santa maria, ca en route to van nuys, ca at about XA45 Z. We were cleared to van nuys via the instrument departure procedure to the rzs VOR direct fim and the fernando 5 arrival at FL110. At approximately XB00 UTC in moderate rain showers and the radar display as it had been approaching smx, turbulence was light to moderate. The PNF requested direct fim (we were not quite to rzs). I also requested he ask for ctrs display of the WX. Their reply as that there was nothing significant, nothing severe. Within that few mins we were struck. The autoplt remained engaged as we searched around the airplane for damage. Passenger were alright and PNF told center to mark the position so others would not be struck. Shortly thereafter we heard a second but fainter sound of the thunder. In the vicinity of fim, VMC conditions were encountered. PNF requested a visual, and I disengaged the autoplt. PNF asked how the controls felt, I responded normally. Damage was discovered after an uneventful approach and landing. I feel perhaps a more reliable radar and storms scope be used for lightning detection, to prevent a recurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHTNING STRIKE ON CORPORATE JET.

Narrative: THE ENCOUNTER TOOK PLACE ON THE LAST LEG OF THE 5 LEG TRIP. WE DEPARTED SANTA MARIA, CA ENRTE TO VAN NUYS, CA AT ABOUT XA45 Z. WE WERE CLRED TO VAN NUYS VIA THE INSTRUMENT DEP PROC TO THE RZS VOR DIRECT FIM AND THE FERNANDO 5 ARR AT FL110. AT APPROX XB00 UTC IN MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS AND THE RADAR DISPLAY AS IT HAD BEEN APCHING SMX, TURB WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE. THE PNF REQUESTED DIRECT FIM (WE WERE NOT QUITE TO RZS). I ALSO REQUESTED HE ASK FOR CTRS DISPLAY OF THE WX. THEIR REPLY AS THAT THERE WAS NOTHING SIGNIFICANT, NOTHING SEVERE. WITHIN THAT FEW MINS WE WERE STRUCK. THE AUTOPLT REMAINED ENGAGED AS WE SEARCHED AROUND THE AIRPLANE FOR DAMAGE. PAX WERE ALRIGHT AND PNF TOLD CTR TO MARK THE POS SO OTHERS WOULD NOT BE STRUCK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE HEARD A SECOND BUT FAINTER SOUND OF THE THUNDER. IN THE VICINITY OF FIM, VMC CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED. PNF REQUESTED A VISUAL, AND I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. PNF ASKED HOW THE CTLS FELT, I RESPONDED NORMALLY. DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG. I FEEL PERHAPS A MORE RELIABLE RADAR AND STORMS SCOPE BE USED FOR LIGHTNING DETECTION, TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE.

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.