CHI97FA218B
NTSB Identification: CHI97FA218B
Accident occurred Saturday, July 19, 1997 in CHICAGO, IL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 4/15/1999
Aircraft: Beech A-36, registration: N2071L
Injuries: 7 Fatal.

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 about 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 about 3-miles south of the airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

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 the ATC controller.

Full narrative available

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