NZFF

Air force plane struck by lightning

A New Zealand air force plane carrying 16 people made an emergency landing after it was hit by lightning while taking part in an exercise over Canada.

The strike happened Tuesday morning (Monday afternoon local time) while the aircraft was providing overland surveillance for Canadian forces as part of Exercise Maple Guardian 09.

No one was injured in the incident.

"Immediately following the lightning strike the crew followed aircraft checklists to ensure all primary and flight critical systems were functional," No 5 squadron commanding officer Wing Commander Nick Olney said.

Once it was determined the aircraft had no major structural or control issues, the operation was abandoned and the plane returned to the base in Comox for an inspection.

"The damage to the radome (a cover for the radar antenna) looks quite dramatic, however at no stage was structural integrity nor safety of flight compromised.

"The aircraft performed as designed and the aircraft radome really took one for the team in this case," Wng Cdr Olney said.

A replacement piece was being sent to Canada so the plane could return to New Zealand.


NZPA
June 12, 2009, 11:22 am

Overland surveillance... Orion?

Alex

Yep they do a lot of that nowadays - the US Navy and the RAF (Nimrods) are doing that in Afghanistan

Yea, the press release didn't state the aircraft, just assumed it was the Orion...

Alex

Now that the Orions have been updated and the electro optics improved, they do alot of surveilance work. Just as much over land as over sea. The range and clarity on the new camera turret is amazing

I saw as much at Whenuapai a couple of months back; they are impressive.

Alex

Alex wrote:

QUOTE (Alex @ Jun 13 2009, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yea, the press release didn't state the aircraft, just assumed it was the Orion...

Alex

but it did mention 5 sqn - photo of Damage done to the orion radome located Here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/...ning-hits-plane

more in detail news item:

Visiting New Zealand military plane blasted by lightning
Canwest News ServiceJune 13, 2009
COMOX VALLEY, B.C. - A visiting New Zealand military plane was struck by lightning while flying under what appeared to be a benign B.C. sky.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft was training with Canadian Forces when one of the clouds suddenly began to spit hailstones Tuesday afternoon. Lightning then struck the plane, blasting a hole through the nose.

``All of a sudden there was a massive boom and the aircraft was enveloped in light,'' said Wing Cmdr. Nick Olney, tactical co-ordinator on the flight.

``The sound was quite something else.''

The bolt travelled the length of the plane, a P-3 Orion - knocking out the aircraft's radar - then exited through a small hole punched in the tail.

The plane's other systems were still functioning so the crew flew it straight back to 19 Wing, where emergency personnel were waiting.

There were 16 people on board when the lightning struck. No one was injured.

A lightning strike has been fingered as a possible contributing factor in the mysterious Air France crash near the equator that took the lives of 228 passengers.

``It's not that uncommon, but it's not common either,'' said Olney, who has been hit three or four times by lightning while flying. ``Aircraft are designed to take this sort of impact.

http://www.canada.com/Visiting+Zealand+mil...3469/story.html