Airplanes get struck by lightning.

the verdict

SUPPORTED

the evidence backs this

Recorded sources

7 sources for · 0 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that airplanes get struck by lightning?

Yes. Multiple sources state that airplanes are struck by lightning, with one official record noting strikes occur roughly once per year per aircraft and a peer-reviewed paper saying an airplane is statistically struck every year.

Verdict: SUPPORTED · 7 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 17 Oct 2026

Evidence for · 7

What happens when an airplane gets struck by lightning?

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What happens when an airplane gets struck by lightning?. (n.d.). aviation.stackexchange.com. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/888

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More for · 6

How frequently do aircraft get struck by lightning?

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How frequently do aircraft get struck by lightning?. (n.d.). aviation.stackexchange.com. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/13011

Lightning and transportation.

1995

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M, C. (1995). Lightning and transportation.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2008-1041045

Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by lightning strikes - Wikipedia

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Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by lightning strikes - Wikipedia. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Airliner_accidents_and_incidents_caused_by_lightning_strikes

PubMed: Deaths and injuries as a result of lightning strikes to aircraft.

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PubMed: Deaths and injuries as a result of lightning strikes to aircraft.. (n.d.). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7575320/

FR 2004 05 18

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FR 2004 05 18. (n.d.). govinfo.gov. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2004-05-18

Lightning Strike Protection: Current Challenges and Future Possibilities

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Lightning Strike Protection: Current Challenges and Future Possibilities. (n.d.). api.semanticscholar.org. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:257121785

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