I agree. No way a downdraught could have achieved this
10540
I have posted this incident in PPRUNE before but will post it again.
I used to Fly an owner in a seneca five twin single pilot to Malaga.
On one occasion in the summer it was over 40 Degrees C at madrid.
Aircraft was on auto at FL120 ahead were two storm cells and I requested a heading change to take a clear piece of air between the two cells.
All of a sudden I could not believe my eyes as the airspeed shot from 150 kts IAS to 70 kts IAS in a flash.
I disconnected the auto pushed the nose over and went for full power.
Nothing happened! The aircraft felt as if it had flown into a vacuum airspeed hovering on 70 kts, column forward, full power and going down like a lift at 3000 fpm.
Having lost a few thousand feet the aircraft came alive and I flew out of whatever I had flown into.
I had experienced down draughts before but nothing like this!!!!
Madrid were giving winds of light and variable!
Dont discount or presume anything.
Pace