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What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200 en route from Miami, FL to Sao Paulo Brazil
Where: en route to Sao Paulo
When: May 21st 2009
Who: not listed
Why: While in flight, the flight crew observed a drop of the outside temperature and recorded seeing St. Elmo’s Fire. They lost the air data reference system. Autopilot and autothrust system disconnected, and fly by wire switched to alternate law (and remained in alternate law for the remainder of the flight.)

Rudder travel limiter was deactived and airspeed and altitude indication was lost.

Standby instrumentation allowed data restoration in under ten minutes.

George’s Point of View