Air carrier flight crew reported after arrival at the gate; a passenger advised them of a possible lightning strike to the right engine during their descent. Post flight inspection reportedly revealed damage to the right hand engine thrust reverser cowling.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported after arrival at the gate; a passenger advised them of a possible lightning strike to the right engine during their descent. Post flight inspection reportedly revealed damage to the right hand engine thrust reverser cowling.
Narrative
Arriving on the ZZZZZ with ATC controller saturation and several different holding patterns throughout arrival; light thundershowers activity scattered in multiple areas within 25 miles in vicinity of airport. Unbeknownst to us at the time; but told by a passenger after we landed; who stated he was a Captain (pilot) on another airline; we were told that he thought we got hit by lightning on the RH engine. He gave a description of white light coming out of the engine. We never saw any cockpit indications; but I did annotate in the AML (Aircraft Maintenance Logbook) and told maintenance as well. I reviewed the logbook the day after and maintenance did state a finding on the aircraft damage log on outboard of RH engine thrust reverser cowling. Controller saturation and compete frequency saturation also. Multiple aircraft with similar callsigns. Cause: Possibility of too many aircraft within the confines of the airport area landing with multiple thunderstorms rapidly transmitting the arrival; departure and landing zones. Additional time between aircraft sequenced for landing from ZZZZZ. Terrain to the north is a limiting factor for aircraft holding in several locations north of this field. Establishment of holding patterns to the south could also help.
Second reporter narrative
On descent into ZZZZ; lightning struck the right engine (estimating around FL200 based upon a description from a passenger who indicated he was a Captain on another airline).Weather on arrival was IMC with TS (Thunderstorm) in vicinity of airport with pockets of moderate/heavy rain. We saw flashes of lightning (I recall twice) on descent while IMC with no instrument indications of a lightning strike. ATC vectored us off the arrival with no apparent attempt to avoid the heavier rain (based upon yellow vs green returns on our radar) with us requesting and receiving a left hold pattern instead of right when given instructions to present position hold.After landing; while deplaning; a passenger (who indicated he was a captain on another airline) described seeing a white flash (either hit or come out of the right engine). In addition; a flight attendant from the aft galley indicated that there was a flash near the aft rows during descent.Cause: Descent on an arrival procedure (ZZZZZ) with weather (TS) west of the field moving east (that covered part of the procedure necessitating eventual vectors off the arrival) versus assigning a different arrival procedure or with vectors to avoid the worse weather with multiple aircraft arriving within a short period of time.Hold aircraft at an initial point; while giving the controller more room to vector preceding aircraft around weather. Assign a different arrival procedure or develop procedures in multiple quadrants so arriving aircraft and ATC have options when weather forces closure of some.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.