Spirit Airlines plane struck by lightning twice during flight, makes emergency landing

The crew of a Spirit Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Cancun reported that the plane had been struck by lightning twice shortly after takeoff on Friday morning (local time), according to the Federal Aviation Association. The aeroplane then turned around and made an emergency landing. The Airbus A321 carrying Spirit turned back to Philadelphia International Airport on its way to Cancun " out of an abundance of caution after the crew reported a suspected lightning strike," Spirit said. 

"The aircraft landed safely, and we are currently working to re-accommodate our guests," Spirit said in a statement to CNN. The airline did not say how many passengers were on board. The FAA is investigating the emergency landing. LiveATC air traffic control recordings captured the exchange between the flight crew and Philadelphia air traffic controllers. 

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"We were struck by lightning twice," said the crew, adding, "We`re gonna have to come back to the airfield." The FAA said the incident happened at 11 am local time Friday, and the agency will investigate. The incident is the latest impact from a storm that caused more than 4,000 flight cancellations nationwide on Friday, according to FlightAware data.

More than 4,100 US flights were cancelled amid a raging winter storm. Planes are designed with conducting paths to keep the lightning strike on the aircraft’s exterior. In fact, they typically initiate lightning strikes as they fly through "ambient electric fields" during thunderstorms.

If a plane is hit by lightning, passengers will often hear a loud noise and see a flash. Airlines have issued travel waivers for many parts of the US, allowing passengers to rebook without penalty for a short window, reported CNN.

With ANI inputs