Interesting Footage Shows Boeing 777 Getting Struck By Lightning After Takeoff

It would seem that Netherland’s Schiphol Airport will never cease to amaze us with their extraordinary events, both on the ground and just above it. After all the crash landings and heavy crosswinds, it was high time we saw what happens to airplanes taking off from Schiphol airport when a bolt of lightning strikes the bow.Show more

On November 12, a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777-300 was shot lining up for take off at Schiphol during horrible weather conditions. The takeoff itself was in order and uneventful, but what happened as the plane started reaching altitude is the star of this show.

Here’s what the person who shot the footage had to say: "The weather conditions were horrible, but it provided me with amazing footage. There was lots of spray during takeoff and wing condensation. This B777-300 lined up on the runway at Schiphol. It started the takeoff roll. There was lots of spray below and behind the aircraft. I always keep filming the aircraft till it isn't visible anymore. The great shots happen in the departure or approach. So the lightning strike that occurred was totally unexpected. It shows perfectly how a plane responds to the power of mother nature. After the strike the plane was able keep on flying."

Aircraft often trigger lightning when flying through a heavily charged region of a cloud. In these instances, the lightning flash originates at the airplane and extends away in opposite directions.