Impact of Lightning Strikes on Airport Facility and Ground Operations

Abstract

Lightning strikes may wreak havoc on airports, causing minor to substantial destruction worth millions of dollars. This study focuses on incidents that occurred at United States airports between 1996 and 2020, including death, injury, infrastructure damage, worker compensation claims, and airline delays. Even though the study showed a modest number of fatalities and injuries, any fatality is unacceptable. According to the study, infrastructure damage also included flight delays. During this analysis, two such costs to air traffic control towers at large airports were revealed.