Delta Flight Declares Mid-Air Emergency Due to Suspected Lightning Strike: Surviving Two Back-to-Back Incidents on a Single Flight

A Delta flight declared a mid-air emergency during its journey from New York City to Atlanta due to a suspected lightning strike. The plane landed safely in Atlanta with no reported injuries due to the lightning strike. Commercial planes are hit by lightning once or twice a year on average, according to the National Weather Service.

The Delta flight, numbered 1192, encountered two separate emergencies during the journey. One emergency was related to the suspected lightning strike, while the other was due to a medical issue with a passenger. Despite the back-to-back emergencies, the plane landed safely and was inspected post-landing to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew.

Passenger planes are built with special conducting paths through the aircraft designed to handle lightning currents. Although incidents of lightning strikes on commercial planes are not uncommon, they rarely result in any significant damage or injuries. The National Weather Service confirmed that lightning has not caused a commercial transport airplane crash in many years.