Posted for "Skip Slater" <skipslater@earthlink.net>:

    Regarding the IV-P struck by lightning with rudder damage, I submitted
the photos after it happened (the plane was based at the airport where I was
building my plane) and I'll briefly recap the other damage that I'm aware
of.
   The lightning took the following path; from one tip of a propeller blade
(left a noticable nick that had to be filed out) to the inboard leading edge
of the right wing (left a small hole there) to the leading edge of the right
horizontal stab and then out the rudder. The bottom part of the rudder was
literally fried and blown apart, with charred and frayed carbon fibers left
hanging in the wind.  There were cracks along the trailing edge of the
rudder as well, indicative of some serious internal pressure.  There were
black marks at the three hinge points on the leading edge of the rudder.
When it was removed, all three hinges were found to be completely cooked and
they had to be replaced.  Several electronic components were affected,
including cooking both Electronics Int'l fuel probe units (only had to
replace the electronics; the probes were OK) and one vexing problem with the
HSI slaving, which turned out to be a bracket that the flux valve was
mounted on being magnetized by the strike.
    The plane was in south Texas in Feb or March when this ocurred.  There
was weather present, but at the time the owner's Stormscope wasn't yet
working.  After seeing the damage from this incident, all I remember
thinking was that this guy was lucky to be alive.
    Skip Slater
    N540ES

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