# NTSB CHI88IA074: Swearingen SA226T, N600TA, Chicago, IL, March 7, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: March 7, 1988, 17:42 local (23:42 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Coordinates: 41.869743, -87.619705 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8697&lon=-87.6197&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 17 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 18, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 13988
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI88IA074
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/13988/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI88IA074

## Probable cause (aircraft 2)

THE TRACON SUPERVISOR FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE ESTABLISHED VISUAL MINIMA CRITERIA AND HIS INCORRECT ISSUANCE OF A VISUAL APPROACH TO AN ARRIVING AIRCRAFT.

## Probable cause (aircraft 1)

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

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Near collision between aircraft, approach - vfr pattern - downwind
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)
- Near collision between aircraft, takeoff - initial climb
  - ifr separation standards - not maintained, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

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.

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

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 1

- Registration: [N600TA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N600TA-1989-01-06), registration cancelled 1989-01-06, S/N T274 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA226T
- Registry model: [Swearingen SA-226T](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa-226t) (registry code 8780122) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 274
- Engines: 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

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N484SC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N484SC-2015-01-22), registration cancelled 2015-01-22, S/N 31T-7820022, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31T
- Registry model: [Piper PA-31T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t) (registry code 7103124) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 7820022
- Engines: 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

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N600TA; age 37; 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
- Pilot, aircraft N484SC; age 41; 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

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.

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