DEATHS AND INJURIES AS A RESULT OF LIGHTNING STRIKES TO AIRCRAFT

Aircraft are at risk of being struck by lightning or triggering lightn ing as they fly through clouds. Commercial and private airplanes have been struck, with resultant deaths and injuries to passengers and crew . We were interested in learning how large a problem existed to the Am erican public from lightning strikes to airplanes. We analyzed data fr om the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on lightning-relate d accidents in the United States from 1963-89. NTSB recorded 40 lightn ing related aircraft accidents. There were 10 commercial airplane acci dents reported, 4 of which were associated with 260 fatalities and 28 serious injuries. There were 30 private aircraft accidents that accoun ted for 30 fatalities and 46 serious injuries. While lightning remains a potential risk to aircraft passengers and crew, modern airplanes ar e better equipped to lessen the dangers of accidents due to lightning.