2023-08 · NASA ASRS report 2029201
Center controllers reported an Air Taxi reported a lightning strike caused an electrical failure and a temporary loss of control. The controllers temporarily lost communications with the aircraft and reported it was due to their faulty radio transmitter sites.
Aircraft X departed ZZZ [Airport] to the NE. Sector XX/XY was currently working the aircraft and had climbed him to his requested final altitude of 21000 feet. Sector XX/XY proceeded to hand off the aircraft to me on sectors YY/YZ. Before Accepting the hand off of Aircraft X; who was approximately 15 miles SW of the ZZZ VORTAC; I noticed that he began to make a sharp right turn to the south back towards ZZZ and descend approximately 1000 feet. I shouted across the room to sector XX/XY to ask what the aircraft was doing. The Controller on Sector XX/XY attempted to talk to the Aircraft X with no avail. A few seconds later I heard Aircraft X communicating on guard frequency. I attempted to communicate with him on our guard transmitter but received no response. Sector XX/XY also attempted to communicate through their guard frequency but also received no response. A few seconds later my trainer tried our guard frequency again and Aircraft X was able to hear that transmission. We asked him what was going on and he responded 'We just got hit by lightning and have lost all our electronics'.We asked Aircraft X if he could reach ZZZ Center on XXX.XX (frequency used for XX). and he said he was getting no response. We then told him to contact ZZZ Center on XYY.XX (sector XXs frequency). Sector XX/XY finally got into communications with the Aircraft X on XYY.XX. Aircraft X wanted to return to ZZZ but due to the large area of Moderate to Heavy Precipitation; the controller on XY/XX suggested that Aircraft X divert to ZZZ1 Airport. The Aircraft X agreed and proceeded directly to ZZZ1 Airport. although ZZZ1 Airport is in sector YY/YZ's airspace; sector XX/XY maintained communication with Aircraft X to avoid another loss of communication before finally handing off the aircraft to ZZZ Approach. We (sector YY/YZ) never spoke to Aircraft X on our frequency except for when we transmitted on guard. We assumed this incident was an emergency and treated it as so. We offered to coordinate with ZZZ Approach on the emergency information to assist sector XX/XY; but they said that Aircraft X had not declared an emergency; therefore leaving only change of destination being the only thing coordinated with ZZZ Approach as well as the Supervisor.Our frequencies are always failing at ZZZ Center. Losing an aircraft on XXX.XX at FL200 is unheard of; but it happened. This is not the first nor last time that an incident has happened and we lose communications with an aircraft during one. We need better and more reliable communications with pilots so something worse does not happen in the future like someone getting hurt or worse. Fixing transmitter sites on the fly is not going to cut it when it comes to safety in the NAS. Not declaring an emergency in this situation is insane. An aircraft got struck by lightning and lost his electronics on said aircraft. He also lost approximately 1000 feet of altitude. Pilots need to declare an emergency in situations like this and/or the controller needs to. The Supervisor should also be more involved in the decision to declare an emergency and not just leave it up to the pilot.
Aircraft X was talking to sector XX/XY. They departed ZZZ and were climbing towards our airspace YY/YZ about 15 miles south of ZZZ VORTAC through moderate to heavy precipitation. We had taken the hand off from sector XX when we noticed that he had reversed course and was now descending. He was out of 20000 feet climbing to 21000 feet and spun around descending to 19000 feet. We yelled over to sector XX who was giving a briefing and asked what the aircraft was doing. XX got no response and had lost communications with Aircraft X. We then heard Aircraft X on guard trying to reach Center. Controller on XX responded to him twice with no success in reaching him. Even though he was well within sector XXs frequency coverage on XXX.XX; he was unable to communicate with them there or on guard. About the third time Aircraft X reached out on guard I saw that we were picking him up on the ZZZ1 transmitter site; so I responded on guard and asked if everything was alright. Aircraft X responded; 'We just got hit by lighting and lost all electronics'. He also mentioned he lost contact with center on XXX.XX and wanted to return to ZZZ. So I told him to contact center on XYY.XX (XY's frequency). XX/XY then established communications with Aircraft X. Not exactly sure what all the pilot said after that; but he ultimately diverted to ZZZ1 Airport and landed safe. Our only interaction was on guard. The Supervisor at the time heard everything I mentioned above. I later asked them about the emergency; assuming we were treating Aircraft X as one; and they said 'what emergency?'. I replied 'the aircraft that just got hit by lightning and spiraled out of the sky 1000 feet.' They then replied that no one told him that he dropped out of the sky and reversed course and that getting hit by lightning usually isn't a big deal. All that was turned in was a change of destination. Our frequencies are so unreliable and inconsistent that a significant aircraft incident is inevitable at this point. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE. We are unable to work an emergency aircraft that is spiraling out of moderate to heavy precipitation after getting hit by lightning; and have to relay from an adjacent sector just to get a hold of him. THIS IS NOT A ISOLATED INCIDENT. Our frequencies have been bad and are only getting worse. I am constantly at battle getting a hold of aircraft well within my frequency coverage for seemingly unknown reasons; throughout the Southeast specialty. Everyday we are switching back and forth between transmitter sites; mains; backups; etc; to no end. When are we going to actually fix the problem? I have to imagine more than a destination change needs to be done for a lighting strike on Aircraft X; which causes it to lose electronics and spiral out of the sky.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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