IndiGo Flight Nose Damaged by Suspected Lightning Strike Over Northern India
• An IndiGo passenger aircraft, operating as Flight 6E925 from Patna to Lucknow, sustained significant damage to its nose after encountering severe weather, including a hailstorm, at approximately 17,000 feet on 7 October
• The damage, suspected to have been caused by a lightning strike, was discovered after the plane landed safely at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow. All 104 passengers and six crew members disembarked without injuries, and the flight arrived eight minutes ahead of schedule. The aircraft has since been grounded for inspection and repairs, with an investigation underway to confirm the exact cause of the damage.
Impact & Risks
The incident highlights the risks of flying through severe weather conditions, such as hailstorms and lightning. While commercial aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes, damage to critical components like the nose cone, or radome, can occur in rare cases. The radome, which protects the radar antenna, appeared to have been pushed inward by the suspected lightning strike. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the aircraft landed safely. However, the grounding of the plane for repairs may disrupt IndiGo's operations temporarily.
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