Fear of flying is pretty common.
In fact, around 40% of people report having some level of anxiety about traveling via air. This is despite the fact that flying is, by pretty much every measure, incredibly safe. Flying is consistently regarded as safer than driving, and statistically, you would have to take a flight every day for over 10,000 years before you’d be involved in a crash with a fatality.
Even though flying is very safe, news stories about plane crashes and in-flight incidents make it difficult for some to get through a flight worry-free. Now, a user on TikTok has a story that might add to these nervous flyers’ fears.
What Happens When Your Plane Is Struck By Lightning?
In a video with over 23,000 views, TikTok user Natalie Longo (@natalieelongo) says that, on a recent flight, her plane got struck by lightning.
According to Longo, she boarded a flight from Buffalo, New York to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Immediately, something was amiss.
“They told us when we got on the plane that it was gonna be, like, pretty rough for the first 15 minutes. So, I’m like, ‘Okay, whatever,’” she starts. “But I didn’t think it was gonna be that bad.”
As the flight took off early in the morning, Longo says that she could see thunderstorms surrounding the plane. While her plane was still ascending, she claims lightning struck the aircraft.
What Happened Next?
“I didn’t realize what happened at first. I didn’t know if, like, the engine blew or something because it got struck. It lit up, and then it was like the loudest boom ever,” she says. “I legit thought that, like, one of the engines blew. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re either about to have to make an emergency landing or, like, the plane’s going down.’”
In response, Longo says she began praying. Others attempted to keep fellow flyers calm.
“It was legit terrifying,” the TikToker recalls. “It was so scary to the point where I texted both my parents and I was like, ‘I love you.’ Like, ‘I don’t know what’s happening right now. I don’t know if the engines blew from the freaking plane getting struck by lightning or if, like, we’re fine and this is, like, normal.’”
Thankfully, Longo says her plane soon escaped the storm and ascended above the clouds.
“As soon as we got above the clouds and I could see the sunrise, I’ve literally never been happier,” she concludes. “I’m just so thankful that pilots are good at their jobs and that they got us to Florida safely today.”
Is This Normal?
While having your plane struck by lightning may be scary, it’s actually pretty common — and surprisingly low-risk.
As noted by AirBus, it’s believed that every aircraft in active service is struck an average of once per year by lightning. Although this can be scary for the passengers, the actual impact on the plane itself is fairly limited.
This is by design. Airplanes are specifically engineered so that, in the event of a lightning strike, the electrical current is conducted around the surface of the plane to prevent serious damage. Additionally, critical systems are protected through redundancy, shielding, and isolation. Consequently, lightning strikes tend to cause only minor surface damage to an aircraft.
Still, if an aircraft is struck by lightning, the crew must report the event. Once the plane lands, the aircraft will be inspected for damage. Any resultant damage must be repaired before the plane is in service again.
Commenters Are Scared
In the comments section, users shared their terrified thoughts on Longo’s experience.
“New fear unlocked,” declared a commenter.
“When I was a kid I was in a minivan that was struck by lightning! 30 years later and I’m still traumatized,” offered a second. “I can’t imagine being in an airplane freaking MIDAIR and that happening lol.”
That said, some countered that Longo’s experience proved just how safe flying really is.
“What cures my fear of flying is the fact that lots of people post the CRAZIEST things they’ve gone thru on planes and have lived to post it lmao,” wrote a user.
@natalieelongo so this was terrifying!! #travel #fortlauderdale #springbreak #plane #buffalo #eastcoast #storms
We’ve reached out to Longo via email.