Lightning Strike Damages IndiGo Airbus A320 on Patna-Lucknow Flight, All 110 Safe

India: An IndiGo Airbus A320 operating from Patna to Lucknow was struck by lightning while descending through bad weather on Wednesday, damaging the aircraft’s nose section. All 110 people on board, including 104 passengers and six crew members, remained safe.

IndiGo flight 6E925 departed Patna at around 3:10 pm and was approaching Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow when it was struck by lightning at an altitude of approximately 17,000 feet.

The aircraft, an Airbus A320neo, was flying through cloud cover and adverse weather conditions when the lightning strike occurred. The pilots informed air traffic control about the incident as a precaution and continued the approach.

The aircraft landed safely in Lucknow at around 4:04–4:05 pm without any injuries or other reported problems. The damage to the aircraft's nose, particularly the radome, the protective structure covering the weather radar, became apparent after the aircraft reached its parking bay.

The aircraft was subsequently grounded for a detailed technical inspection by IndiGo engineers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was also informed, and the aircraft will return to service only after the required inspections and regulatory clearance.

The same aircraft was scheduled to operate IndiGo flight 6E6968 from Lucknow to Ahmedabad. The airline arranged a replacement aircraft, with the onward passengers departing at around 6:22 pm.

Modern commercial aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes, with electrical discharge generally conducted safely through the aircraft's structure. In this incident, the reported damage was confined to the external nose section, allowing the aircraft to complete its flight and land safely.