Every now and then someone asks, Whats your favorite airplane? Before one stormy January evening, that was a tough call for someone with 47 years and 12,000 hours of flying. After that evening, one particular turboprop twin always takes first prize.
A pilot experienced an unexpected and severe lightning strike in a King Air B200 during a winter flight, later identified as a rare "thundersnow" phenomenon.
Despite the aircraft initially appearing to function normally, a post-landing inspection revealed extensive hidden damage, including melted prop metal, 'welded' flight control bearings, and propeller reduction gear damage that would have failed within 20 minutes.
The incident, which required $100,000 in repairs, solidified the King Air B200 as the pilot's favorite airplane due to its remarkable resilience and ability to safely return them to the ground.
Every now and then someone asks, “What’s your favorite airplane?” Before one stormy January evening, that was a tough call for someone with 47 years and 12,000 hours of flying. After that evening, one particular turboprop twin always takes first prize.
The Crime Scene
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