It happened in just the blink of an eye.
An American Eagle jet had just landed at an Arkansas airport amid an intense thunderstorm Sunday afternoon.
The plane taxied to its assigned gate, then sat on the runway as crews waited for the weather to pass.
Airports often limit the operation of ramps and gates during lightning, as the phenomenon poses a high risk to employees, according to the Airport Cooperative Research Program.
Dozens of passengers huddled inside, waiting to deplane and go about the rest of their day.
That's when a 3 million-Volt bolt of energy struck the aircraft's tail, shaking the jet and causing sparks to fly off the rudder.
A photographer captured the shocking moment on video.
Onlookers could be heard yelling "hey" and "whoa." One shouted: "That would not be good."
The Embraer E175 jet taxied to the gate at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport a few minutes later, and the passengers were let off. American Eagle is a subset of American Airlines.
Crews assessed the plane for damage.
Storms have swept through the East Coast in recent days, delaying flights into and out of major airports in New York City, Boston and Atlanta.
The weather patterns have resulted in lightning, large hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph.
More than 1,400 flights have been canceled over the past couple of days.
Disruptions could last until Tuesday, according to CBS News.
