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An analysis of three weather-related aircraft accidentsTwo aircraft accidents in 1975, one at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on 24 June and the other at Stapleton International Airport in Denver on 7 August, were examined in detail. A third accident on 23 June 1976 at Philadelphia International Airport is being investigated. Amazingly, there was a spearhead echo just to the north of each accident site. The echoes formed from 5 to 50 min in advance of the accident and moved faster than other echoes in the vicinity. These echoes were photographed by National Weather Service radars, 130-205 km away. At closer ranges, however, one or more circular echoes were depicted by airborne and ground radars. These cells were only 3-5 km in diameter, but they were accompanied by downdrafts of extreme intensity, called downbursts. All accidents occurred as aircraft, either descending or climbing, lost altitude while experiencing strong wind shear inside downburst cells.
Document ID
19780033785
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Fujita, T. T.
(Chicago, University Chicago, Ill., United States)
Caracena, F.
(NOAA, Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Boulder Colo., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1977
Publication Information
Publication: American Meteorological Society
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
78A17694
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NOAA-04-4-158-1
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-14-001-008
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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