Alaska Airlines jet reportedly struck by lightning returns to LAX

An Alaska Airlines jet that was reportedly struck by lightning after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday returned to the airfield shortly after takeoff, officials said.

Soon after Alaska Airlines Flight 006 took off at 1:08 p.m. en route to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., the pilot determined that the plane may have experienced a shock, Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said.

The Boeing 737 landed safely and taxied to the gate, airport spokesman Marshall Lowe said.

“The pilot noticed that it was likely struck by lightning, and out of an abundance of caution [decided] to turn around and land,” Egan said.

The plane returned to the airport, landing at 1:33 p.m., and the 159 passengers and six crew members safely disembarked, she added. The flight was canceled after maintenance technicians examined the aircraft.

“We are working to get our passengers out to the DC area on later flights tomorrow or on other airlines,” Egan said.

Egan said that she had not spoken to the pilot about the incident, but there was lightning in the area, and it’s possible the pilot felt something.

Thunderstorms pummeled Southern California on Saturday as a tropical storm off Baja California streamed northward.

“We have maintenance technicians who are currently inspecting the aircraft to determine if we’re going to pull it from service or cancel the flight,” Egan said earlier, before the flight was canceled. “Lightning strikes do happen; when they do, the plane is designed to withstand a lightning strike.”

Twitter: @aminawrite.

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