Lightning struck an Alaska Airlines plane yesterday traveling from Sitka to Ketchikan, shortly after departure.
Pat Kehoe was on the flight. She said there was a bright flash of light in the cabin, but otherwise, everything felt pretty ordinary.
“The lights in the cabin flickered just a little bit and then we just kept going on our merry way,” Kehoe said. “I said, ‘was that lightning?’ and my husband said, ‘yeah I think so.'”
The plane landed safely in Ketchikan and all passengers continuing onto Seattle were rebooked on a different plane.
A representative from Alaska Airlines said in an emailed statement to KRBD, ”These strikes are not unusual. Our aircrafts are designed to dissipate the electrical energy of the lightning bolt without damaging the aircraft systems.”
They also said that as a precaution, maintenance technicians are thoroughly inspecting the aircraft before it returns to service.
