'Almighty jolt' of lightning shakes Christchurch-bound planeKIRK HARGREAVES/STUFF A lightning flash struck an Air New Zealand flight bound for Christchurch carrying National MP Scott Simpson on Monday. (File photo)A NZ MP says a lightning strike shook a Christchurch-bound flight with a "big whack and almighty jolt". ⚡️⛈⚡️✈️ — Scott Simpson (@ScottSimpsonMP) March 13, 2018As the plane started to level out, an "almighty jolt" and flash of light rattled passengers. Airliners are built to take lightning strikes and it has been many years since a lightning strike was implicated in a deadly crash. Even the presence of an airplane passing through a lightning-prone area could "trigger" a lightning strike, FAA said.

Source: Stuff March 13, 2018 22:04 UTC