My neighbor just returned from a trip and reported something that I didn't think could happen. Her plane was on the runway awaiting departure in the middle of a thunderstorm when a person three rows ahead of her screamed and then began moaning. This was a woman with a pacemaker, and passengers were informed that she was struck by lightning! How is that even possible??? Apparently, they called for a physician on board to help and taxied back to a gate where she was taken off the plane by EMT's (she was OK by the time they reached the gate). Then they had everyone else disembark so they could check over the plane since it had been struck by lightening, and they wanted to make certain that all electrical systems were operational. Isn't that the strangest thing???? I thought all planes were had ground wires, plus this plane was sitting on big rubber tires! I have never heard of a situation like this. Just curious - has anyone else?

The passenger wasn't struck by lightning but just having the electrical current of the bolt passing through the skin of the plane a few inches away from her could have done a number on her pacemaker.

Planes get struck by lightning all the time (usually when they are in the air) and a strike is usually a non-event. Damage is unlikely but not unheard of and since they hadn't taken off yet and had to return to the gate anyway, I guess better safe than sorry.

I would imagine being struck while on the ground would have made the affects worse since the plane was "grounded."

Just like a car, the plane is NOT grounded as it is sitting on inflated rubber tires ;-)

On a side note, I was on a flight from MSP to DEN last weekend and our plane got struck by lighting a few minutes after takeoff. Bright flash and loud bang on the right side of the plane. I thought at fist an engine blew up.
We continued without incident to DEN.

From the title, I figured somebody found a low award ticket

^

You are much more likely to be struck by lightning than to find a low award ticket.

Engineer here,

Lightning is caused by a difference in electric potential. Usually between the clouds and the earth.

The lightning is caused when a large enough potential differential(Voltage) exists, the air begins to conduct electricity. This is called the dielectric breakdown.

Huge misconception the lightning just jumped about 5000' it will have no problems jumping the 2~ feet between the aluminum wheel and the ground. Cars get struck by lightning as well for the same reasons.

The reason you are OK is that the aluminum skin of the plane acts as a faraday cage to keep you safe. The current moves in the skin/frame of the plane/car around you not through you.

My guess as to the lady with the pacemaker, Large EMF caused by the discharge can do crazy things with electronics.

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_...le_strike.html
jfadoll if the passenger was close enough to the current running through the skin of the plan (ie dozing with her head against the side) could she be shocked?

I was referring to the word "Grounded" which it clearly is not ;-)

You're right - it's not grounded. But the plane was grounded do to the lightening.

The word was used as a bit of a pun (hence the quotes).

It has happening on my flight. I flew out from PHX-DTW-FLL by last year. Our flight is delayed due to the weather. We waited for my flight is leave. I saw lightning. I have a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOK5NRLvNVI

As you can see the lightning strike down near the terminal.

Very doubtful, If the passenger happened to be touching something metal with two different parts of his/her body like a head and a foot, or an arm and foot some current would go through them. But most of the current would still run through the plane, not the person.

Electricity like water flows through the least resistive path. Nice high quality aluminum is much easier to flow through than a person. So most if not "all" of the power would go through the plane.

Much like a bird sitting on a high voltage power line, it does have a very small amount of power flow up one leg, through its body, then back down the other leg. It's just so small in comparison to the amount of power flowing through the cable.

Yep, not tied to earth ground at all.

I am moving this thread over to TravelBuzz where it will have a larger audience.

RSSrsvp - Moderator

What happens when your car (or perhaps in the future, your plane) is not made of metal? What if it's plastic, or carbon-fiber, or some other material that is not as conductive as aluminum?

Didn't Howard Hughes build a wooden plane? What if that had gotten hit by lightning?