Editor’s note: This story has been corrected; the flight’s departing city was Tampa, Fla.
DENVER (KDVR) — A Southwest Airlines flight headed to Denver was possibly struck by lightning Sunday evening before safely landing, the airline confirmed to FOX31.
The flight, Southwest Flight 168 bound for Denver from Tampa, Fla., landed at DIA at about 8:36 p.m. on Sunday, according to FlightAware. Officials at the airport said they had received reports of a plane struck by lightning and said that emergency crews responded as is standard protocol.
“It was very loud, very bright and definitely startled everybody,” passenger Pablo Nuanes told FOX31’s Kim Posey.
Several passengers reported feeling a similar sensation.
“I know I was definitely shaking,” Denver resident Mariah Martinez also told Posey.”We definitely felt it in our seats. We could hear it, and it was just so bright.”
The plane ultimately made it safely to the gate and no injuries were reported.
FOX31 reporter Kim Posey spoke with an aviation expert, who offered reassurance that planes have a plan in place ahead of incidents where lightning strikes the aircraft.
“Just know that the airplane is very well protected,” said Steve Cowell, aviation expert.
He said the design distributes the electrical charge across the metal surface.
“Everything, even if it’s made of a composite part, has some aluminum embedded in it, and that aluminum forms a cage around the passenger cabin,” Cowell said.
Southwest Airlines provided this statement to FOX31 on Monday :
On May 25, Flight 168 from Tampa International Airport to Denver International Airport sustained a possible lightning strike while inbound to DEN and landed safely. Our maintenance teams took the aircraft out of service for inspection. There were no injuries.”
Neither DIA nor Southwest said whether the strike took out the plane’s communication instruments, the number of passengers and crew on board the flight and if there was a need for an emergency response.