<< >> NASA ASRS Report 458308, December 1999

Captain failed to enter lightning strike in the aircraft logbook after lightning strike during descent in thunderstorm WX activity.

Attributes
ACN	458308
Time
Date	199912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Snow Rain Ice Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	458308
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

During controller initiated descent from 15000 ft MSL to 11000 ft MSL, aircraft experienced moderate to severe turbulence, light rime icing and intense static electricity display on windscreen (st elmo's fire) event illuminated in blinding flash that was either a lighting strike or static discharge. Captain temporarily blinded 2-3 seconds. First officer temporarily blinded 30 seconds. Autoplt failed during descent. Captain hand flew aircraft to level off at 11000 ft MSL. Autoplt function regained. Flight proceeded to psc. First officer and captain reported no damage to aircraft. No company maintenance in psc or subsequent station -- geg. Event not recorded in aircraft maintenance log but reported to company via operational report. Captain criticized for not entering event in aircraft logbook. Non maintenance station factored into decision. No visual system damage as determined by captain/first officer factored into decision to continue flight to subsequent station.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT FAILED TO ENTER LIGHTNING STRIKE IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK AFTER LIGHTNING STRIKE DURING DSCNT IN TSTM WX ACTIVITY.

Narrative: DURING CTLR INITIATED DSCNT FROM 15000 FT MSL TO 11000 FT MSL, ACFT EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB, LIGHT RIME ICING AND INTENSE STATIC ELECTRICITY DISPLAY ON WINDSCREEN (ST ELMO'S FIRE) EVENT ILLUMINATED IN BLINDING FLASH THAT WAS EITHER A LIGHTING STRIKE OR STATIC DISCHARGE. CAPT TEMPORARILY BLINDED 2-3 SECONDS. FO TEMPORARILY BLINDED 30 SECONDS. AUTOPLT FAILED DURING DSCNT. CAPT HAND FLEW ACFT TO LEVEL OFF AT 11000 FT MSL. AUTOPLT FUNCTION REGAINED. FLT PROCEEDED TO PSC. FO AND CAPT RPTED NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. NO COMPANY MAINT IN PSC OR SUBSEQUENT STATION -- GEG. EVENT NOT RECORDED IN ACFT MAINT LOG BUT RPTED TO COMPANY VIA OPERATIONAL RPT. CAPT CRITICIZED FOR NOT ENTERING EVENT IN ACFT LOGBOOK. NON MAINT STATION FACTORED INTO DECISION. NO VISUAL SYS DAMAGE AS DETERMINED BY CAPT/FO FACTORED INTO DECISION TO CONTINUE FLT TO SUBSEQUENT STATION.

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.