During turbulent weather conditions, it is not uncommon for aircraft to experience lightning strikes, although capturing this phenomenon on camera is quite rare. While lightning strikes are frequent in the air, incidents of lightning hitting stationary aircraft on the ground are relatively rare and often go undocumented.
However, a rare incident was recorded by a camera at the Little Rock Airport in the US state of Arkansas. An American Eagle Embraer 175 aircraft was waiting for permission to take off when lightning struck its tail.
Video captures lighting strike hitting an American Eagle Embraer-175 at Little Rock Airport in Arkansas yesterday.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 26, 2023
📹 GulfstreamGuy pic.twitter.com/8DoXRw1WRw
The lightning strike produced a powerful sound, causing some onlookers at the airport to startle and scream.
Fortunately, the lightning strike did not cause any damage to the aircraft, and the flight proceeded towards its destination.
It is important to note that even a moderate bolt of lightning can carry several million volts of electricity.
In the video, it can be seen that the weather is quite stormy, with lightning flashing through the clouds, limited visibility due to haze, and light rain falling.