<< >> NASA ASRS Report 598693, November 2003

Flight crew of MD80 experience static discharge after encounter with cumulo nimbus build-up on departure from ord. No damage.

Attributes
ACN	598693
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	598693
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Environmental Factor Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

During departure from ord, climbing through 8000 ft and upon entering developing cumulo nimbus clouds, major static build-up and subsequent discharge occurred on radome nose area with no impact to aircraft system or performance. Only significant result was very loud discharge noise and momentary flash blindness followed by very faint smell of smoke for only a few seconds. No impact to passenger, cabin of equipment. Flight was continued to tul and dispatch was notified. Postflt inspection by maintenance resulted in negative damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MD80 EXPERIENCE STATIC DISCHARGE AFTER ENCOUNTER WITH CUMULO NIMBUS BUILD-UP ON DEP FROM ORD. NO DAMAGE.

Narrative: DURING DEP FROM ORD, CLBING THROUGH 8000 FT AND UPON ENTERING DEVELOPING CUMULO NIMBUS CLOUDS, MAJOR STATIC BUILD-UP AND SUBSEQUENT DISCHARGE OCCURRED ON RADOME NOSE AREA WITH NO IMPACT TO ACFT SYS OR PERFORMANCE. ONLY SIGNIFICANT RESULT WAS VERY LOUD DISCHARGE NOISE AND MOMENTARY FLASH BLINDNESS FOLLOWED BY VERY FAINT SMELL OF SMOKE FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS. NO IMPACT TO PAX, CABIN OF EQUIP. FLT WAS CONTINUED TO TUL AND DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED. POSTFLT INSPECTION BY MAINT RESULTED IN NEGATIVE DAMAGE.

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.