- Date
- March 7, 1988, 17:42 local (23:42 UTC)
- Place
- Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 17 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 13988
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The TRACON supervisor failed to comply with the established visual minima criteria and his incorrect issuance of a visual approach to an arriving aircraft.
The TRACON supervisor failed to comply with the established visual minima criteria and his incorrect issuance of visual approach to an arriving aircraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
As Piper PA-31T, N484SC, was on an IFR departure from rwy 18 at merril c meigs arpt, swearingen SA226T, N600TA was on an IFR arrival. Subsequently, the 2 acft converged aprx 3 mi south of the arpt. The crew of N484SC saw N600TA & turned to maintain separation. The passing distance was estimated to be about 2000 ft. an investigation revealed that as N600TA was arriving, the south satellite sector #1 controller (ctlr) at Chicago o'hare TRACON had clrd the crew to dscnd & maintain 2000 ft. when they (N600TA) advised that meigs was in sight, the sector #1 ctlr clrd them for a visual apch & told them to contact meigs tower. At about that time, the south satellite sector #3 ctlr at TRACON was in contact with meigs tower to provide info about N600TA concerning another matter & had released N484SC for a south- bound departure. When the sector #3 ctlr provided the release, he was unaware N600TA had been clrd for a visual apch. When N600TA contacted meigs tower, the meigs tower ctlr thought it was on a VFR arrival. Vis restricted by fog & haze.
As Piper PA-31T, N484SC, was on an IFR departure from rwy 18 at merril c meigs arpt, swearingen SA226T, N600TA was on an IFR arrival. Subsequently, the 2 acft converged aprx 3 mi south of the arpt. The crew of N484SC saw N600TA & turned to maintain separation. The passing distance was estimated to be about 2000 ft. an investigation revealed that as N600TA was arriving, the south satellite sector #1 controller (ctlr) at Chicago o'hare TRACON had clrd the crew to dscnd & maintain 2000 ft. when they (N600TA) advised that meigs was in sight, the sector #1 ctlr clrd them for a visual apch & told them to contact meigs tower. At about that time, the south satellite sector #3 ctlr at TRACON was in contact with meigs tower to provide info about N600TA concerning another matter & had released N484SC for a south- bound departure. When the sector #3 ctlr provided the release, he was unaware N600TA had been clrd for a visual apch. When N600TA contacted meigs tower, the meigs tower ctlr thought it was on a VFR arrival. Vis restricted by fog & haze.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N600TA
- Reported as
- Swearingen SA226T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 274
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331, 840 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John R. Martins
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MLI · Moline, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CGX · Meigs
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N484SC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7820022
- Engine
- P&W PT6A, 620 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Seufert Realty Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- HNB · Huntingburg, IN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CGX · Meigs
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N600TA
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,300 total
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N484SC
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORD, 15 nm away