Cessna 172P and Beech A-36 mid-air collision near Chicago, Illinois, July 19, 1997
On July 19, 1997 at about 11:07 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172P (N5323K) and Beech A-36 (N2071L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Chicago, Illinois. 7 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1997 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5323K · no longer on the register · serial 17274064
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N2071L · registry record · serial E966
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
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 with each other about 3-miles south of the airport.
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 Beech A-36 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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 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 Cessna 172P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- MIDAIR COLLISION during cruise
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, ASE, IAIR, APLN, none
- Flight time: 773 hours in all; 112 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 567 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 1
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,384 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 1997; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 3HA Lansing IL
- Destination: CGX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°C, dew point 63°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 11:18 pm from CGX, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Beech A-36 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- MIDAIR COLLISION during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,375 hours in all
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,049 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB(R) (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: MGC Michigan City IN
- Destination: CGX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI97FA218.