A Hawaiian Airlines flight headed to Honolulu from Las Vegas had to return shortly after takeoff due to a lightning strike.
The incident occurred on Sunday, October 1, when Hawaiian Airlines Flight 5 encountered a thunderstorm soon after its 7:57 pm departure. According to reports, a lightning bolt hit the aircraft.
Passenger Julie-Anna Bardon spoke about the experience, mentioning the concern on board after the strike. She said, “The scariest part for us was getting hit by lightning. There were people on the flight that were crying.” She also highlighted the uncertainty about the plane’s condition and whether they would land safely.
Flight data indicates that the plane was airborne for roughly 20 minutes before the pilots decided to return. It landed without incident at Harry Reid International Airport around 8:30 pm.
Hawaiian Airlines confirmed the diversion because of the lightning incident. All 278 passengers and the 11 crew members on board were safe. The airline provided hotel stays and meals for its passengers while the plane underwent inspection. The rescheduled flight to Honolulu took off on Tuesday, October 3, at 4 am.
The National Weather Service pointed out that incidents like this are infrequent, with only one or two reported annually for commercial airlines. Although modern planes are designed to endure lightning and there hasn’t been a crash caused by it in many years, airlines are still mandated to check for potential damage after such events.
