Passengers aboard an American Eagle flight received quite a shock—literally—when lightning struck their aircraft shortly after landing in Little Rock, Arkansas, yesterday afternoon. The Embraer E175 jet had just touched down amid intense thunderstorms and was waiting on the taxiway for weather conditions to ease before heading to its gate. That’s when the electrifying spectacle unfolded.
Eyewitness Jason William Hamm captured the dramatic moment on video, narrating to his fellow passengers about an earlier flash that had narrowly missed the aircraft. Seconds later, another bolt of lightning dramatically hit the tail of the stationary plane, igniting a bright shower of sparks that elicited gasps and excitement among passengers and observers alike.
“Wow! That definitely hit the plane!” Hamm exclaimed in his footage, later confirming that despite the impressive display, the aircraft and passengers were completely unharmed.
Not Uncommon, But Always Startling
Although it might seem rare, aircraft lightning strikes are surprisingly frequent. According to statistics from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), commercial airplanes encounter lightning approximately once every 1,000 flight hours, meaning most passenger aircraft experience several lightning incidents annually.
Just earlier this year, passengers aboard a Boeing 737 MAX flying toward Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport had their own unsettling lightning encounter. Pilots recorded the moment a large lightning bolt struck the plane’s nose at 30,000 feet, briefly illuminating the cockpit and startling the crew during severe weather.
Can Lightning Actually Hurt a Plane?
While visually dramatic, lightning rarely poses serious risks to modern commercial aircraft. Today’s planes undergo extensive lightning protection testing and must meet stringent FAA certification requirements to minimize any real danger.
Here’s how it works:
When lightning hits an airplane, the electrical current usually strikes at an extremity—commonly the wingtip, tail, or nose—then travels harmlessly through the conductive aluminum skin of the plane before exiting at another point. This engineered conduction prevents damage to the internal systems and keeps passengers safe.
However, as aircraft manufacturers increasingly use composite materials like carbon fiber, engineers have adapted. These non-metal composites typically include conductive layers or protective meshes embedded in the aircraft’s structure to safely dissipate electricity.
Real Risks and How Engineers Mitigate Them
One significant safety concern related to lightning is its potential to cause sparks within an aircraft’s fuel system, a scenario that contributed to a catastrophic accident in 1967. Since then, aviation safety has significantly evolved. Modern aircraft designs include specialized lightning protections for fuel tanks, electrical circuits, and delicate avionics.
For instance, lightning diverter strips on sensitive areas like the aircraft’s nose cone—known as the radome—function similarly to lightning rods on buildings, channeling electricity safely around sensitive navigation instruments.
When Lightning Causes Serious Turbulence
Though lightning itself rarely damages modern aircraft, associated storm conditions can cause dangerous turbulence. A stark example occurred in March when Lufthansa Flight 469, flying from Austin to Frankfurt, encountered severe lightning-induced turbulence over Tennessee. The plane suddenly dropped about 1,000 feet, injuring multiple passengers as objects flew through the cabin. The crew made an emergency landing in Washington D.C., underscoring how turbulence, rather than lightning itself, often poses the greater risk.
Safety Tips for General Aviation Pilots
While commercial aircraft have sophisticated lightning protections, small private planes and kit-built composite aircraft generally have fewer protective measures. The FAA advises private pilots, particularly those flying lightweight composite aircraft lacking adequate lightning shielding, to actively avoid thunderstorms. Unlike large airliners, these smaller aircraft can suffer structural damage or loss of control if struck by lightning or caught in severe turbulence.
The Bottom Line: Dramatic but Safe
The dramatic strike in Little Rock serves as a vivid reminder of lightning’s power. Yet, thanks to decades of research, engineering advancements, and rigorous FAA regulations, commercial air travelers can feel reassured that lightning strikes—even those as spectacular as the one caught on camera yesterday—are far more likely to inspire awe rather than cause harm.