Suggestion in message #37:
"... hope someone does some nice Forensic Meteorology work to find out what was going on..."
The surface wx-reports tell why the pilots elected to NOT descend into MCI.
?? Please, could one of you computer-guys post the image of the MCI (EAX) Radar Summary Chart for 21July at 0015z ???
“… about 60 miles southeast of Kansas City ... 40 miles north of Springfield, Missouri …”
Mishap turbulence reported on 20Jul, at "1814 MDT" =1914 CDT (= 21Jul/0014z)
Here are surface wx rpts near that mishap position ---
KSZL (SE of Kansas City, aka Sizzling Misery, a bomber base)
OBS:Whiteman Air Force Base
At Whiteman AFB, 20July was a hot summer day, 91F; until TRW moved-in after 5pm CDT;
temperatures then
cooled 21 degrees-F between 5pm and 7:18pm.
Time............ Temp. Dew Relative... Wind ..Visibility... WX Clouds
(CDT) ............ (f) .... (f) ..... (%) .... (mph).. (miles)
20 Jul 4:55 pm 91 78 67 S9 10.00 FEW210
20 Jul 5:27 pm 88 79 75 SSE6 6.00 -TSRA BKN035
20 Jul 5:41 pm 86 79 79 CALM 4.00 TSRA BKN016 BKN030
20 Jul 5:55 pm 84 79 86 SSE6 3.00 -TSRA BKN017 BKN032CB BKN095
20 Jul 6:38 pm 79 72 79 WNW30 10.00 TS SQ BKN039
20 Jul 6:46 pm 75 72 89 NW23G48 1.50 +TSRA FEW002 SCT022CB OVC040
20 Jul 6:48 pm 73 70 89 NNW23G48 1.00 +TSRA BR FEW002 SCT022CB OVC040
20 Jul 6:55 pm 73 70 90 NNW18G40 0.75 +TSRA BR FEW002 BKN017 OVC040
20 Jul 7:18 pm 70 68 94 NNE16G31 3.00 -TSRA BR FEW002 SCT008 OVC055
20 Jul 7:55 pm 72 67 87 NE7 6.00 -TSRA BKN080
20 Jul 8:43 pm 73 68 83 NE3 7.00 -TSRA BKN044CB SCT095