# Accident 19970719018821A: Cessna 172P, Chicago, IL, July 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 1997, 18:07 local time
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Airport: Merrill C Meigs
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Location: 41.8696° N, 87.6202° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8696&lon=-87.6202&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5323K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5323K-1997-09-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172P (registry code 2072436, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 773 total, 112 in this make and model, 172 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97FA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA218) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970719018821A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT COLLIDED IN MID AIR WITH N2701L. (.4) THE PILOT OF A CESSNA WAS CLEARED TO PASS SOUTHBOUND THROUGH CLASS D AIRSPACE BY THE ATC CONTROLLER. AT 1802:09 CDT THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT TO '...REPORT ABEAM... .' AT 1802:13 CDT THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONTROLLER, BUT DID NOT REPORT ABEAM THE AIRPORT.  THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THE CONTROLLER DID NOT ASK THE CESSNA PILOT IF SHE WAS ABEAM THE AIRPORT.  THE CONTROLLER STATED SHE WAS MONITORING AN AIRPLANE THAT WAS ABOUT 5-MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT DURING THIS PERIOD.  THE PILOT OF THAT AIRPLANE REPORTED HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH ITS LANDING GEAR.  AT 1803:35 CDT THE PILOT OF A BEECH A-36 BONANZA CALLED THE TOWER ADVISING THE CONTROLLER THE AIRPLANE WAS '...9-MILES SOUTH ... INBOUND...' FOR LANDING.  AT 1803:41 CDT THE CONTROLLER TOLD THE PILOT TO '...REPORT 4 SOUTH OF THE FIELD PLAN ON RUNWAY 36.'   THE PILOT OF THE A-36 ASKED THE CONTROLLER ABOUT AN AIRPLANE THAT REPORTED 10-MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AT 1803:47 CDT.  THE CONTROLLER SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS '...WELL CLEAR OF THE CLASS DELTA SURFACE AREA SORRY ABOUT THAT.'  THE A-36 PILOT RESPONDED, 'NO PROBLEM.'   AT 1804:06 THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT OF THE A-36 A BOUT THE AIRPLANE SHE HAD BEEN MONITORING. THE A-36'S PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONTROLLER S INFORMATION.  THE A-36 PILOT REPORTED 4 MILES SOUTH AT 1805:53 CDT.  THE CONTROLLER CLEARED THE A-36'S PILOT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 36 AT 1803:56 CDT.  THE A-36 PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLEARANCE.  THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THE CONTROLLER DID NOT ADVISE THE CESSNA AND A-36 BONANZA PILOT S OF EACH OTHERS PROXIMITY TO THE OTHER.  THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT 3-MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT.                                     (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #CHI97FA218A

## Other aircraft in the event

- N2071L, Beech A36: [Accident 19970719018822A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970719018822A)

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97FA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA218), Jul 19, 1997: Cessna 172P (N5323K), Chicago, IL, destroyed, 7 fatal. Probable cause: the pilots not maintaining visual separation between their airplanes. A factor in this accident was the pilot of the southbound airplane not reporting her position abeam the airport as directed by…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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