Could very well be. It's highly possible that internal pressures could build and have some electrical discharge effect on the upper atmosphere. I would imagine the affected area could easily be quite large, hence the "mile wide" comment by the pilot.

AURIGNY pilot Ray Bowyer has today told of his delight at the response to his UFO sighting.
The 50-year-old captain, who claimed he saw two identical objects as he was approaching Alderney from Southampton, said he had been inundated by people telling similar stories.
‘Since the story has been publicised, I must have had a least 20 people come up to me and tell me their story,’ he said.
He said it has had a very positive impact.
‘I think what it has done is make it acceptable for other people to tell their stories. It seems to have lubricated people’s tonsils to talk about this sort of experience.’