Swearingen SA226T and Piper PA-31T incident near Chicago, Illinois, March 7, 1988
On March 7, 1988 at about 11:42 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Swearingen SA226T (N600TA) and Piper PA-31T (N484SC), were involved in the same incident near Chicago, Illinois (Meigs airport). No one was hurt; 17 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE TRACON SUPERVISOR FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE ESTABLISHED VISUAL MINIMA CRITERIA AND HIS INCORRECT ISSUANCE OF VISUAL APPROACH TO AN ARRIVING AIRCRAFT.
THE TRACON SUPERVISOR FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE ESTABLISHED VISUAL MINIMA CRITERIA AND HIS INCORRECT ISSUANCE OF A VISUAL APPROACH TO AN ARRIVING AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1988 · about 11:42 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Meigs · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 17 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Swearingen SA226T · all SA226Ts on the register
- Registration
- N600TA · no longer on the register · serial 274
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N484SC · no longer on the register · serial 7820022
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Swearingen SA226T final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-31T final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Swearingen SA226T from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 22
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLI Moline IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from ORD, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-31T from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HNB Huntingburg IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N600TA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.