Struck by Lightning, Jet Makes Emergency Landing at LAX

A jet plane heading from Los Angeles to the nation’s capitol was hit by lightning, and made a safe emergency landing at LAX today.

Alaska Airlines flight 6 left LAX at about its 12:40 p.m. departure time, and the pilot reported getting zapped about half an hour into its trip to Reagan National Airport, Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Bobbie Egan told City News Service.

The pilot elected to land back at Los Angeles even though all flight systems checked good, she said.

The Boeing 737 had 159 passengers, seven crew members, and seven hours of fuel on board as it landed, according to the airline and Los Angeles firefighters’ radio traffic.

“They are doing a maintenance inspection, and will decide if the aircraft can be returned to service,” said Egan to CNS from Seattle, near the Alaska Airlines headquarters.

“The captain always has discretion whether to return, and it was his decision even though there was no damage,” she said.

The lightning was apparently from a pulse of subtropical moisture and atmospheric instability blown into Southern California from the remnants of Hurricane Dolores.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock