B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 424
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
While deviating for weather; the Controller instructed us to immediately turn into weather. The Captain attempted to avoid the weather; but conditions deteriorated; resulting in moderate turbulence; multiple lightning strikes upon the aircraft; and hail. The altitude deviated slightly due to weather initially; however; descent was made subsequently to 14;000 feet through several cells. Clearly the Controller did not understand the severity of the weather we were deviating around. The aircraft was landed in ZZZ uneventfully without declaring an emergency; however; it was removed from service due to burn marks on the stabilizer.
Flight crew reported that ATC instructions vectored aircraft into extreme weather instead of avoiding it; resulting in lightning and hail damage; requiring aircraft to be removed from service after landing.