An E145 flight receives a lightning strike at 10800 ft on their climb out 40 mi east of pll, il.

Attributes
ACN	580627
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pll.vor
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 10800
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	580627
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Approximately 40 NM east of pll passing through 10800 ft, lightning struck forward port side of aircraft. Loud bang and bright flash was observed. All instruments indicated normal operation. We elected to continue rather than turn to reenter the area of the strike. At the time of the strike, multiple lightning flashes were observed in the area, but the WX radar indicated no cells inside the 25 NM ring. 2-3 cells were observed outside the ring. I notified ATC of the strike and the fact we were operating normally. Postflt revealed severe damage to #2 VHF communication antenna and a small exit burn on outboard aft tip of right aileron. I notified maintenance via land line and wrote of the strike/damage in the maintenance log.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN E145 FLT RECEIVES A LIGHTNING STRIKE AT 10800 FT ON THEIR CLBOUT 40 MI E OF PLL, IL.

Narrative: APPROX 40 NM E OF PLL PASSING THROUGH 10800 FT, LIGHTNING STRUCK FORWARD PORT SIDE OF ACFT. LOUD BANG AND BRIGHT FLASH WAS OBSERVED. ALL INSTS INDICATED NORMAL OP. WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE RATHER THAN TURN TO REENTER THE AREA OF THE STRIKE. AT THE TIME OF THE STRIKE, MULTIPLE LIGHTNING FLASHES WERE OBSERVED IN THE AREA, BUT THE WX RADAR INDICATED NO CELLS INSIDE THE 25 NM RING. 2-3 CELLS WERE OBSERVED OUTSIDE THE RING. I NOTIFIED ATC OF THE STRIKE AND THE FACT WE WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. POSTFLT REVEALED SEVERE DAMAGE TO #2 VHF COM ANTENNA AND A SMALL EXIT BURN ON OUTBOARD AFT TIP OF R AILERON. I NOTIFIED MAINT VIA LAND LINE AND WROTE OF THE STRIKE/DAMAGE IN THE MAINT LOG.

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.