The 1977 edition of the Jeppeson annual contains an excellent review of the Eastern Airlines 727 crash at JFK due to a downburst cell over the end of runway 22. A professor at the University of Chicago conducted a study of downburst cells and published the study results around that same timeframe.
I had the opportunity to work with Paul Kadlec, Chief Meterologist at Continental Airlines, in 1976. I spent a lot of time riding jumpseat with CO and others, talking with crew about the use of weather radar.
Paul is a great guy, also a BG in the USAF. He studied the CO 727 crash at Denver and develoed a theory about micro bursts which he believed caused that accident. Theory had to do with warm, dry climates and a temp/dewpoint spread of 40 degrees.
I really enjoyed the time I spent in the "front office" in '76. I also flew with Frontier, Hughes Airwest, Western, Hawaiian, Mexicana, Avianca, Air Micronesia and All Nippon.
Putt