Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Joliet, Illinois 60436
Saturday, December 8, 1990 13:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

NEAR JOLIET, IL, A CESSNA 152 (N48779) WAS CRUISING ON A SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY HEADING AT 3000' MSL AT THE SAME TIME THAT A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5A (N26686) WAS CRUISING ON AN EASTERLY HEADING AT THE SAME ALTITUDE. THE 2 AIRCRAFT CONVERGED AND THE RIGHT WING OF THE AA-5A COLLIDED WITH THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE CESSNA. THOUGH BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE DAMAGED, BOTH CONTINUED FLYING AND WERE LANDED FROM PRECAUTIONARY APPROACHES. THE CESSNA PILOT SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE OTHER AIRCRAFT EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE COLLISION. HE SAID THE SUN WAS QUITE BRIGHT AND WAS FAIRLY LOW AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. THE AA-5A PILOT SAW THE CESSNA MOMENTS BEFORE IMPACT AND TRIED TO AVOID A COLLISION BY MANEUVERING HIS AIRCRAFT, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER'S AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1320
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JOLIET
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60436
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1537
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 8 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42948
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N48779 N26686
NTSB Number CHI91LA043A CHI91LA043B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model 152 AA-5A
Aircraft Series Identifier 152 AA-5A
Aircraft Serial Number 15280963 AA5A-0646
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 0
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT G. WILLIAM J. BRYAN LAWRENCE J. WAGNER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9824 MILLARD AVE. 5632 HAWTHORNE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City EVERGREEN PARK BERKELEY
Aircraft Owner State IL IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60642 60163
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code C18 LOT
Departure City FRANKFORT ROMEOVILLE
Departure State IL IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300 1200
Departure Time Zone CST CST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code C09 C59
Destination City MORRIS DELEVAN
Destination State IL WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --