Microbursts, though small, can cause intense winds up to 146
knots. In fact, the
wind shear generated by microburst is capable of causing as much damage as a
tornado.
Microburst are also known to cause
airplanes to crash. When an airplane flies through a microburst, rapid changes in wind speed and direction can cause a loss of lift causing a plane to drop in
altitude. This happened in August of 1985 near the
Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport. An airplane was making its final approach when it encountered tremendous wind shear beneath a small
thunderstorm. The aircraft lost its lift and
dropped to the ground, killing 135 passengers.