El Al, Boeing 737-900ER. Photo: Achia Balmes El Al flight LY396 from Madrid to Tel Aviv, carrying Maccabi Tel Aviv players, was struck by lightning during the flight due to severe weather conditions.
According to reports, the incident occurred about 20 minutes before landing in Israel and caused panic among passengers. No injuries were reported, and the plane landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport.
Aviation industry sources note that lightning strikes on airplanes are a familiar phenomenon, and the airplanes are designed to handle such situations in accordance with strict safety standards.
According to the National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, commercial planes are subject to one or two lightning strikes each year. Since they are specifically designed with conductive paths throughout, planes can absorb strikes and conduct electrical current.
Upon suspicion that a plane has been struck by lightning, a special damage inspection protocol is initiated, which can often lead to flight delays and additional expenses for airlines. This is why planes do their best to avoid thunderstorms whenever possible. Some planes, like private jets and experimental aircraft, however, are not required to have these special protections in place. While the commercial aviation industry has not registered a lightning-triggered crash in decades, things are different when it comes to other groups of aircraft.