What happened
On June 27, 2015, a Boeing 737-800 was performing an approach to landing at EPKT when the aircraft was struck by lightning. Following the landing, the flight crew reported a suspected lightning strike to the fuselage. Despite the impact, all onboard systems and installations continued to operate within normal parameters throughout the remainder of the flight.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the physical damage sustained by the aircraft. A technical inspection was conducted in accordance with the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM 05-51-19) to assess the extent of the strike. The inspection revealed several areas of damage, including burned rivets on the fuselage, damage to the horizontal stabilizer, and damage to five window frames within the passenger cabin. Following the assessment, the operator consulted with the manufacturer and performed repairs following the provided technical documentation. The aircraft was subsequently returned to service without operational restrictions.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was a lightning strike to the aircraft fuselage during the approach phase of flight.