Lightning strikes CF-18 headed for air show

The pilot of a CF-18 struck by lightning on its way to an air show landed safely at the Whitecourt Airport Thursday morning.

Capt. Adam Runge, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 2014 CF-18 Air Demonstration Team Pilot, said he was flying from Calgary to Whitecourt and was about 10 minutes away from landing, 17,000 feet in the air, when lightning hit the plane.

“There was a flash and it essentially hit the canopy and the cockpit area of the aircraft,” Runge said Thursday. “I felt a bit of static charge, similar to a small static shock, go through my body. Once the static discharged I felt completely normal.”

Runge heard a “quick crackle” followed by static on the radio. “I just continued on my arrival to Whitecourt, while checking over the systems on board and looking to make sure everything was working as normal,” he said. “The aircraft was flying and functioning as I expected.”

Alexandre Cadieux, spokesman for the Royal Canadian Air Force, said air traffic control was advised of the incident. Runge continued the flight and landed safely at Whitecourt Airport, where firefighters were waiting as a precaution.

Airport manager William Stewart said there was no visible damage to the plane when it landed.

“Being hit can cause electrical problems and that kind of thing, but he landed without a problem,” Stewart said.

Maintenance crews inspected the plane and determined there was no damage.

Runge was on his way to Whitecourt in the specially painted plane for The Hometown Heroes air show this weekend.

He has been grounded for 24 hours as a precaution, but is set to fly in the air show and participate in a practice session Friday afternoon.

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds and SkyHawks parachute team are also part of the show.

White court is 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.