08-23-2006, 02:24 AM
I'm 'somewhat' familiar with lightning issues as it pertains to airplane design (aerospace engineer, but lightning isn't a topic I've studied a lot). Off the top of my head (and correct me if I'm wrong) when lightning strikes an airplane, it usually enters/strikes one location and exits from another. I think both entry and exit locations will have some damage in the form of a hole (for two-dimensional metallic structures like fuselage and wing skins). Conceivably, if lightning struck an area of the wing skin under which there's fuel stored, it could create a hole and ignite and escaping fuel (which could eventually lead to a catastrophic explosion). If I remember correctly, I think I've heard of areas made up of composite structures (like the nose cone/radome) even shattering.