Patna/Lucknow: An IndiGo flight from Patna to Lucknow was struck by lightning at an altitude of around 17,000 feet amid bad weather on Wednesday, damaging the aircraft’s nose. All 170 passengers on board were safe.
The aircraft, operating as IndiGo flight 6E925, took off from Patna Airport at around 3:10 pm and was struck by lightning before reaching Lucknow. The pilot immediately contacted Lucknow Air Traffic Control (ATC), which cleared the runway and put emergency services, including ambulances, on standby.
The aircraft landed safely at Lucknow Airport at around 4:05 pm, ahead of its scheduled arrival time of 4:20 pm.
After landing, the airline’s technical team inspected the aircraft and found damage to its forward section. As a precaution, IndiGo grounded the aircraft and informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Aircraft grounded after lightning strike
The aircraft was scheduled to operate another IndiGo service from Lucknow to Ahmedabad later in the evening. However, it was grounded after the technical inspection.
IndiGo arranged another aircraft for the affected passengers, who were subsequently flown to Ahmedabad at around 6:22 pm.
A team of engineers is now examining the damaged aircraft. It will be allowed to operate again only after the necessary repairs, technical checks and regulatory clearances are completed.
Aircraft to undergo repairs and trial flight
The aircraft’s nose sustained damage in the lightning strike. Engineers are working on repairs, after which the aircraft is expected to undergo a trial flight at Lucknow Airport.
The inspection and trial-flight report will be submitted to the DGCA. The aircraft will be permitted to resume passenger operations only after receiving the required clearance.
Why was the aircraft grounded?
A lightning strike does not necessarily cause major damage to a commercial aircraft. However, aircraft struck by lightning are inspected after landing to check for possible structural, electrical or systems-related damage.
In this case, the pilot landed the aircraft so that engineers could assess it on the ground. Since damage was detected on the forward section, the aircraft was not cleared for its next scheduled operation.
How dangerous is lightning for an aircraft?
Modern commercial aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes. Lightning typically enters through an exposed point such as the nose or wingtip and travels along the aircraft’s outer surface before exiting through another point.
In many cases, the damage is limited to small marks or localised areas. However, a detailed technical inspection is necessary before the aircraft can return to service.
Passengers generally do not receive an electric shock because the aircraft’s outer structure helps conduct the electrical current around the cabin. They may, however, see a bright flash and hear a loud sound when lightning strikes.
If the aircraft’s systems remain unaffected, it may be able to continue flying. However, a post-landing inspection is required to determine whether it is safe to operate again.
Similar IndiGo incident in June
A similar incident was reported on June 19, 2026, when lightning struck an IndiGo aircraft, flight 6E6068, while it was parked at Kolkata Airport.
The 141 passengers and six crew members on board were safely evacuated and later flown to Agartala on another aircraft. No injuries were reported.
