Lightning anyone?

Originally Posted by Frode Berg

Hi!

Has anyone experienced being struck by lightning in a small plane?
Can it be dangerous?
What happens? Loud bang?

Hi my name is Graeme Cooper and I was the student in the front seat of the glider that day that was destroyed by the lightning. Please visit my justgiving webpage to see what I am planning next! http://www.justgiving.com/big40reachfortheskiesagain
Please help me to raise awareness and funds for the Parkinson's Disease Society by sending the above address to anyone who you think may like to see it and read my story. I am trying to get interest in it from all parts of the world! Thank you

10 years ago I was given a gift certificate from Caroline my Girlfriend (now my wife) for a days gliding at the London Gliding Club to celebrate my 30th Birthday. It was to become a day that I will never forget.

I had been up about 6 times that day in the front seat of a 2-seat glider and was having a fantastic time. Our last flight of the day was coming to an end. We had been flying for about an hour riding the thermals, enjoying the views and I had even taken control of the joystick and pedals on occasions. On the way back to the airfield we noticed a very black cloud off to our right but nothing to worry about.

In a split second everything had changed. I remember talking to the instructor (Peter Goldstraw) when there was a tremendous bang, the plane jolted and it felt as if a missile had hit us. Eyewitnesses say they saw a ball of lightning streak across the sky and hit our glider.

I think I may have been hit on the head by the Perspex canopy getting blown off from its seating as I was confused and was seeing stars. My ears were ringing from the explosion as the force of the blast had perforated both of my eardrums.

Peter was shouting something but it just seemed like mumbling because I couldn’t hear anything. He later explained he was shouting, “get out, get out”!

I quickly realised things were wrong and that we were in serious trouble and that we had to get out of the glider. I was terrified and started shaking, I didn’t dare look down, I looked to the right and noticed that the wing was no longer there. I was thinking of my parents, family and girlfriend and what would they think if I was to die. I had to help myself, there was nothing that Peter could do to control the situation or save us, we were on our own and had to save ourselves. I looked down and managed to twist the buckle on the seatbelt that was holding me into the seat of the glider, stand up and jump free.

Luckily I was wearing a parachute. I found the ripcord and pulled it as I left the glider.

It was a nice feeling to look up and see that the parachute had opened successfully. I looked down and saw that Peters parachute had also opened but that he was quite a way down because I understand he had had trouble opening his chute.

For a moment, I was enjoying the relief of getting out. I looked down and there were bits of wreckage falling. I looked up and there were still bits of wreckage above me, which was worrying as I was scared it might fall and damage the chute.

I saw Peter land heavily in a field and tried to wave to him to let him know I was ok but he wasn’t moving. The GQ parachute that saved me was a round type and not controllable you just go where the wind blows you.

I remember seeing some electricity pylons below and was panicking because I thought I might hit them. Luckily I crossed over them then over a road. I was shouting and waving at people on the ground to let them know that I was still alive as I was coming down.

On the other side of the road there was a disused petrol station. I landed on the roof of it. It was a tin roof that gave a little as I landed.

Although I was on fairly firm ground I was still not out of trouble. I knew that the thing that had saved my life could now put it back in danger. I was strapped into the harness of the parachute with 4 buckles that I quickly undone and threw the harness away from me before the parachute had time to fill with air and drag me off of the roof.

From there I was able to climb down a wall and onto the ground, where some people helped me to calm down. Someone gave me a cup of tea, but most of it went over the floor as I was shaking so much!

Peter and I were taken to hospital in an ambulance where Peter spent a few days recovering from surgery to repair a broken ankle. I was released the same day with just minor scratches, bruises and perforated eardrums.

The wreckage of the glider was taken to the Air Accident Investigation Branch in Farnborough laid out and pieced back together. It was concluded by the investigators and lightning experts that the lightning bolt that stuck the glider was one of the most powerful ever recorded. It was a positive (+) strike the most powerfull type and up to six times the level that even passenger aircraft are designed to tolerate. Six times!

It was whilst waiting in hospital that I began to realise how lucky I had been. I saw a man in a muddy football strip having his leg set in plaster. I thought I have been struck by lightning, fallen from the sky, landed on the roof of a petrol station and still less injured than him.