When Chicago WGN radio personality Bob Collins and his passenger were killed in the crash of the radio man's Zlin on February 8, 2000, it was soon known that the other pilot in the midair collision, Sharon Hock, 31, was a student pilot.

It has taken a while, but both Collins's widow and the estate of Ms. Hock have filed federal lawsuits against the FAA, citing inadequacies in the radar system used by the Waukegan (IL) tower, and the controllers, for their direction of the aircraft on that morning. Hock's attorney noted that the controllers should have informed the pilots that they had not established visual contact.

Radar records showed that Collins' reports of his position were not accurate, as he flew toward the airport, and as he was cleared for a straight-in approach; and hazy conditions may have kept the pilots and controllers from making visual contact.

The NTSB report was less-forgiving of Collins, finding the cause of the midair was, "The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the other airplane. Factors relating to the accident were the pilot's poor visual lookout, and the airport control tower local controller's failure to provide effective sequencing."

FMI: NTSB report