Government small transport experiences a lightning strike while detouring thunderstorm activity.

Attributes
ACN	354392
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orl
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zjx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	354392
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Fast moving cold front moving west to east across florida caused a line of level 3 and level 4 thunderstorms. While deviating, using radar and storm scope, around level 4 cell, aircraft was struck by lightning. I and first officer thought it had missed because there was no noise and flash seemed well to side of aircraft. After landing, we closely inspected the aircraft and found burn holes on the flaps and an aileron. Also a burn mark on the center of the radome. We could find no evidence of any strike on either propeller. Lightning is a very unpredictable phenomenon and no matter how good your radar or storm scope and how well you maneuver the aircraft, when flying in highly charged air in the vicinity of thunderstorms, lightning strikes are always a possibility. I feel I was pressured into taking a flight against my better judgement based on known severe WX. In the future I shall stand firm and reject any such pressures. Bosses can't be put into the loop when it comes to making proper flying decisions. We ferried the aircraft back to our home base where a more detailed inspection could be made, and where the manufacturer's recommendations for a lightning strike could be completed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV SMT EXPERIENCES A LIGHTNING STRIKE WHILE DETOURING TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: FAST MOVING COLD FRONT MOVING W TO E ACROSS FLORIDA CAUSED A LINE OF LEVEL 3 AND LEVEL 4 TSTMS. WHILE DEVIATING, USING RADAR AND STORM SCOPE, AROUND LEVEL 4 CELL, ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. I AND FO THOUGHT IT HAD MISSED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NOISE AND FLASH SEEMED WELL TO SIDE OF ACFT. AFTER LNDG, WE CLOSELY INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND BURN HOLES ON THE FLAPS AND AN AILERON. ALSO A BURN MARK ON THE CTR OF THE RADOME. WE COULD FIND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY STRIKE ON EITHER PROP. LIGHTNING IS A VERY UNPREDICTABLE PHENOMENON AND NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR RADAR OR STORM SCOPE AND HOW WELL YOU MANEUVER THE ACFT, WHEN FLYING IN HIGHLY CHARGED AIR IN THE VICINITY OF TSTMS, LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. I FEEL I WAS PRESSURED INTO TAKING A FLT AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT BASED ON KNOWN SEVERE WX. IN THE FUTURE I SHALL STAND FIRM AND REJECT ANY SUCH PRESSURES. BOSSES CAN'T BE PUT INTO THE LOOP WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING PROPER FLYING DECISIONS. WE FERRIED THE ACFT BACK TO OUR HOME BASE WHERE A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION COULD BE MADE, AND WHERE THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD BE COMPLETED.

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.