Plane bodies are covered with an aluminum composite material that conducts the electricity away from the plane if lightning hits. They are also equipped with devices called static wicks, which direct the electricity off the plane and back into the sky. The wing tips or tail can act as lightning rods, and while those can sometimes show signs of damage after a particularly bad strike, it does not affect the plane’s ability to stay safely in the air. 

The last known plane crash that was caused by lightning happened in 1962, when lightning struck a Pan Am Boeing 707 over Elkton, Maryland. The strike ignited a fire in the fuel tank, causing an explosion that brought the plane down and killed all 81 passengers, according to USA Today. Nowadays, planes are much better protected against potential disasters that could be caused by electric sparks. Lightning strikes cause little to no damage to modern planes, which is a relief considering airliners get struck by lightning at least once a year, on average, per Lightning Eliminators.