Guinness Book of World Records 2003

Worst Lightning Strike Death Toll
A total of 81 people aboard a Boeing 707 died when their plane was struck by lightning when flying near Elkton, Maryland, December 8, 1963.

Longest Lightning flash
At any one time, about 100 lightning bolts per second hit the earth. Typically, these bolts are about 5.5 miles long. However, in 1956 meterologist Myron Ligda (USA) used radar to record a lightning flash that covered a horizontal distance of 93 miles inside clouds.