Ever had one of those days when you feel like Michael Faraday?

[salvorhardin]

From http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/ltg/plane_japan.php

[Itchinjim]

1. In some capacity, yes.

n/t

[nashville_brook]

2. holy crap -- that gives me a panic attack!

[beam me up scottie]

3. That was incredible!!!

It appears noone was injured.
I wonder if the passengers knew what happened.

[salvorhardin]

4. I'm sure they saw a very bright flash through the windows

I'd think there'd be an incredibly loud sound too, but I don't know. The passengers were all safe and this actually happens semi-frequently. According to Ask The Pilot, a plane gets hit by lightning about once every two years.
http://www.salon.com/tech/col/smith/2005/08/12/askthepilot149/index1.html

Because the plane acts as a big Faraday Cage, all the electrical current flows on the metal skin of the plane -- there is no electricity inside the plane. If the lightning strike wasn't so quick, and the interior volume of the plane so large, the passengers would have to worry about being instantly baked by the intense heat generated. There can be some damage to the plane where the lightning bolt exits the aircraft.

[beam me up scottie]

5. Cars act as Faraday cages too.

But it must still scare the hell out of you when the vehicle you're in gets struck.

Were there any boy scouts on this plane, by any chance?