Russian airplane hit by lightning and crashes...?

[mrbigstuff]

I don't know squat about aeronautics, but I did not think lightning could cause a plane to crash. But, I suppose, it's some related issue (there was reportedly a fire on the plane, possibly caused by the lightning). Any pilots in the house?

[BigGuynRusty]

Avionics.
Yes, it can happen, and has in the past.

BGnR

[Carnos Jax]

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.

[Carnos Jax]

Now that BGnR mentions it, I think I remember a story about all the lightning energy not leaving a plane (because everything wasn't grounded properly inside) and causing a small fire. I don't know where I heard it. Not sure if it possibly wasn't one of 'our' airplanes (I work at a place that has 50 to 60 airplanes going through it's facilities a year, every now and then we have a minor incident, not sure if something like this was one of them).

[BigGuynRusty]

Good Info.:
http://www.lightningtech.com/d~ta/faq1.html

BGnR

[Paul F.]

Planes have lots of stuff that runs on, you know, electricity...
Stuff that runs on electricity don't get along so good when hit by lightning.. kinda like a frog hit with a real real big hammer. Icky, like.

Newer planes are more tolerant... but Russia don't fly "newer" airplanes so much.

[mrbigstuff]

that lightningtech site has good info.

oh, and I did mean aeronautics, not avionics, as my question was basic about plane construction and how lightning can affect such.

[BigGuynRusty]

[quote mrbigstuff]that lightningtech site has good info.

oh, and I did mean aeronautics, not avionics, as my question was basic about plane construction and how lightning can affect such.

Upon lightning strikes it is the Avionics that usually get screwed up, unless the plane blows up, then it is aeronautics. Wing/Tail/Fuselage falls off/apart.

BGnR

[Racer X]

its bad when the lightning lets the magic smoke out of all those avionics components.

[ztirffritz]

If the lightning didn't exit the plane it would become a massive flying capacitor. Does anyone remember the the scene from The Hunt for the Red October where they are trying to hook a helicopter from a sub to ground it? Instead a member of the crew is struck by the cable and he grounds it with his body. The chopper builds and enormous static charge which it will discharge in the form of lightning if it finds a path of less resistance. In the movie it discharges into a guy standing on top of the metal submarine holding a long copper rod and it scrambles his brain.