Meigs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60611
Tuesady, April 4, 1989 15:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 18 AFTER HE HAD BEEN INFORMED OF WINDS FROM 260 DEGREES AT 19 KTS, GUSTING TO 30 KTS. JUST AS HE WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN, A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE ACFT, DRIVING THE LEFT WING TO THE RWY. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. THE OWNERS HANDBOOK, IN THE SECTION ON CROSSWINDS, PROVIDES NO GUIDANCE ON A CROSSWIND LIMIT. EVEN WITHOUT GUSTS, THE CROSSWIND COMPONENT COMPUTES TO NEARLY 19 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND CONDITION WHICH EXISTED DURING THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY, CROSSWIND WHICH EXISTED AND THE FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE CROSSWIND PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60611
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MEIGS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C6X
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 590
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CGX
Elevation of weather observation facility 590
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 19
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1287
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39583
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2944P
NTSB Number CHI89LA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-3213
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VAUGHAN WEEKS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7346 W. RIVER RD
Operator City CALEDONIA
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43108
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation 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
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RAC
Departure City RACINE
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3948
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --