An aircraft accident due to lightning is a rare event despite how many times one plane can be struck. Lightning usually strikes an aircraft on a sharp edge like the wing, nose or antennas. ... They can fly the plane without all the modern technology in the event of an emergency.

Can a plane be struck by lightning?

Planes all over the world get struck by lightning almost daily. An airplane in commercial service is hit by heavenly jolts of energy on average once per year. ... While some travelers may feel that this would be an unpleasant experience, modern jetliners are designed to cope with lightning strikes.

How many times has lightning struck a plane?

Experts estimate that on average, lightning hits aircraft once per year or once per every 1,000 hours of flight time. The last incident when a lightning strike ended in a catastrophe occurred in 1963.