FLC OF MDT PAX ACFT HAD SEVERE LIGHTNING STRIKE; LOST ELECTRICAL EQUIP. OBTAINED CLRNC TO DSND TO VFR CONDITIONS. MANAGED TO RESTORE MOST OF ELECTRICAL AND PROCEEDED TO DEST; DCA.

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AT DESCRIBED LOCATION ON V1 5 NM NE OF CYN VOR. RADAR WAS ON AND WORKING NORMALLY. RADAR WAS PAINTING GREEN INTERSPERSED WITH YELLOW. NO INDICATION SUCH AS CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF COLOR ON THE RADAR INDICATING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALTHOUGH WE HAD DEVIATED AROUND SOME TSTMS AROUND JFK AFTER DEPARTING ISP FOR DCA. SHOULD MENTION OUR RADAR SYS IS A FOUR-COLOR SYS: GREEN; YELLOW; RED; AND MAGENTA. TO AVOID THE AFOREMENTIONED AREA; WE HAD REQUESTED AND HAD BEEN CLRED TO FLY A HDG OF 240. WE STARTED LOSING SQUELCH ON OUR 1 VHF COM; SO COM WAS BECOMING DIFFICULT. ABOUT 60 SECONDS LATER; THE ACFT RECEIVED A LIGHTNING STRIKE ON THE L WINGTIP. THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY LOST ELECTRICAL PWR TO THE AUX INV; L AC BUS; L TRU; 1 AND 2 DC GENERATORS; L STALL WARNING; 1 AHRS; CAPT'S FLT INSTRUMENTS; RADAR; L AUX FUEL PUMP; L STANDBY HYD PUMP. ALSO; CABIN PRESSURIZATION WENT TO 6.0 PSI. ACFT NOW ON ESSENTIAL PWR (BATTERY) GOOD FOR 20-30 MINS. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED DISSIPATING SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER CABIN FLOOR AT ROW 3 OR 4 AND ALSO A LIGHTNING BALL INSIDE THE CABIN. REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DSCNT. WASHINGTON CENTER STEPPED US DOWN IN 2000 FT INCREMENTS TO 8000 FT WHERE WE ENTERED VMC CONDITIONS. WE RESTORED ALL ELECTRICAL PWR EXCEPT LAC BUS; LTRU 1 DC GEN; L AUX PUMP; AND L STANDBY HYD PUMP. HAD PLANNED ON GOING TO PHL BUT AFTER PWR RESTORATION WAS SUCCESSFUL; WE WERE CLRED ENO; OTT; DCA. APCH AND LNDG NORMAL. OUR MAINT FOUND ENTRANCE HOLE ON L WINGTIP WITH RIVET DAMAGE AND MISSING STATIC WICK. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION; APPROX 30 EXIT HOLES WERE FOUND ON BELLY SKINS FROM JUST AFT OF NOSE LNDG GEAR TO ABOUT ROW 4 OR 5. AS MANY OF US HAVE DONE; WE FLEW THROUGH AN AREA OF WX THAT WAS SIMILAR TO MANY OTHER AREAS WE FLEW THROUGH THIS DAY AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. OBVIOUSLY; I SHOULD RECONSIDER THE TYPES OF METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN WHICH I OPERATE MY ACFT.