B737-800 IS VICTIM OF LIGHTNING STRIKE DURING CLBOUT FROM CLE.

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MAJOR LIGHTNING STRIKE ON NOSE OF ACFT ENCOUNTERED WHILE CLBING THROUGH BACKSIDE OF HVY PRECIP AREA W OF CLE. ENCOUNTER OCCURRED AT APPROX 10000 FT MSL. FO WAS PF. APPARENT LIGHTNING AND DISCHARGE ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD BANG SEEN BY ALL OCCUPANTS OF ACFT. MANY EXTERIOR SURFACES OF ACFT SEEN ARCING AND EMITTING STATIC OR GENUINE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE. CLB STOPPED AT 15000 FT MSL AFTER STRIKE. SPD REDUCED FROM 280 KIAS TO 250 KIAS. ACFT SYS; STRUCTURE AND HANDLING FULLY EVALUATED BY CREW. ATC IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED. ATC TRACKING OF FLT WITH PROVISION FOR SVCS GIVEN TO FLT AS IT PROCEEDED. MAINT CTL IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED AND CONSULTED. DISPATCH IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED AND CONSULTED. FOLLOWING EVAL AND CONCURRENCE AT ALL LEVELS; FLT PROCEEDED TO DEST WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. ONLY AFFECTED ONBOARD SYS WAS THE APU'S FIRE DETECTION SYS. POSTFLT MAINT INSPECTION REVEALED NO DAMAGE TO ACFT EXCEPT FOR 50% OF STATIC WICK AT TOP OF VERT STABILIZER MISSING. OUR AIRLINE SHOULD CONSIDER THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BRIEF CHKLIST WHICH ADDRESSES CERTAIN ACTIONS OR BASIC PROCS THAT MIGHT BE PERFORMED BY FLT AND CABIN CREW FOLLOWING A SIGNIFICANT AND POTENTIALLY DISRUPTIVE OR DAMAGING INFLT LIGHTNING STRIKE.