Flight headed to Atlanta hit by lightning, forced to make emergency landing

ATLANTA — A flight on its way to Atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing Tuesday afternoon after the plane was struck by lightning.

According to a spokesperson at the Chattanooga airport, the Delta flight took off from Milwaukee and landed safely in Chattanooga around 4 p.m.

A total of 164 passengers were on the plane. No one was hurt.

The plane landed in Atlanta around 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Firetrucks met the plane on ground after the pilot radioed in that the strike took out the left engine.

We were there when those 164 passengers finally arrived overnight.

Many said they saw the bright flash, then heard the pilot make an announcement.

“He was very calm over the speaker, not to alarm anybody,” passenger Jason Ruhnke said.

Authorities said the plane will be inspected to determine where exactly the lightning hit and what damage it caused.

The FAA sent Channel 2 Action News the following statement:

"Delta Air Lines flight 2050, an MD-90, landed safely at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport at 3:38 p.m. EST after the pilot reported a possible lightning strike and declared an emergency. The flight departed George Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee and was headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when it diverted. Contact the airline for passenger information. The FAA will investigate."

Information from WTVC was used in this report.

Cox Media Group