A Canadian Forces Hercules involved in the search for two Americans whose plane disappeared June 20 was forced to return to Whitehorse after being hit by lightning late last Thursday afternoon.

"It was a really loud bang, kind of like we hit a bird," Capt. Michael Leduchowski, who was flying the plane, told the Star today. "And there was a really bright flash."

Leduchowski and nine crew members were on their way back to Winnipeg, from where two Hercules planes are being rotated into the search for Gary and Ingrid Patigler.

Fifteen days ago, the Iowa couple was bound for Whitehorse from Wolf Creek, Alasaka, in their six-seater Beechwood Bonanza.

A search involving both American and Canadian Forces continues on both sides of the border, but with one less Hercules aircraft.

"The plane suffered from damage and it's been grounded until it's fixed," said Leduchowski.

"There's a small hole on the front of the aircraft (and the lightning) severely damaged the radar inside the nose cone ... and welded some parts of the aircraft to itself."

Normal procedure in such cases is to land at the nearest airport, and in this instance, Whitehorse was still in the rearview mirrow, so Leduchowski turned the bird around.

Replacement parts are on the way and Leduchowski expected the plane to be operational and on its way back to Winnipeg by the end of today.

Canadian Forces and the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) also announced that they're scalling back their search for the Patiglers, taking the two Hercules planes out of the action.

A pair of CC-115 Buffalo aircraft out of Comox, B.C. will remain in the search along with an undetermined number of civilian planes.

At the height of the search on the Canadian side of the border, five military planes and up to seven civilian aircraft were involved.

Any one with information is asked to call 867-456-3861.