<< >> NASA ASRS Report 771024, January 2008

Commercial aircraft was struck by lightning during arrival. Generators and primary flight instruments were momentarily lost. Flight declared emergency and landed at destination.

Attributes
ACN	771024
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Ice Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	771024
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

During our initial descent into ZZZ; while level at 9000 ft; IMC; with level 3 icing; and moderate turbulence; the aircraft was struck by lightning. Multiple system failures occurred; including but not limited to loss of both dc generators and the AC inverter. This also caused the complete loss of both EFIS system as well as the autoplt/flight director system. I immediately declared an emergency with center. During the few mins required to bring our primary system back on line; our altitude deviated 1000 ft. We had climbed from our assigned altitude of 9000 ft to 10000 ft. I asked ATC to confirm our altitude during the deviation; at which time we immediately returned to 9000 ft. The lightning strike was both seen and heard by all on board. Loss of primary flight instrumentation was visually observed by both pilots.

Related reports:

• A commercial fixed wing mdt was dispatched for 10 flts with ...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMERCIAL ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING DURING ARRIVAL. GENERATORS AND PRIMARY FLT INSTRUMENTS WERE MOMENTARILY LOST. FLT DECLARED EMER AND LANDED AT DEST.

Narrative: DURING OUR INITIAL DSCNT INTO ZZZ; WHILE LEVEL AT 9000 FT; IMC; WITH LEVEL 3 ICING; AND MODERATE TURB; THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MULTIPLE SYS FAILURES OCCURRED; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF BOTH DC GENERATORS AND THE AC INVERTER. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE COMPLETE LOSS OF BOTH EFIS SYS AS WELL AS THE AUTOPLT/FLT DIRECTOR SYS. I IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH CTR. DURING THE FEW MINS REQUIRED TO BRING OUR PRIMARY SYS BACK ON LINE; OUR ALT DEVIATED 1000 FT. WE HAD CLBED FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT TO 10000 FT. I ASKED ATC TO CONFIRM OUR ALT DURING THE DEV; AT WHICH TIME WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 9000 FT. THE LIGHTNING STRIKE WAS BOTH SEEN AND HEARD BY ALL ON BOARD. LOSS OF PRIMARY FLT INSTRUMENTATION WAS VISUALLY OBSERVED BY BOTH PLTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.