Scud running

[Skystream]

I work in Oakbrook, IL, which is a subburb of Chicago. It is not far from KORD and KMDW. Anyway as I was walking out of my building last night at 6pm, I heard a single engine airplane over ahead. It was dark and it was snowing. The airplane was clearly scud running to the northeast, maybe at 600 to 800 AGL. He had only the starboard anti collision light working, and his tail light. Could not see any other navigation lights or even a beacon. Could see the plane clearly enough to know it was a low wing and could see him banking a couple of times. Bravo airspace starts at 1900 where he was at. Only airports in his direction are KPWK and KUGN. Hope he made it to where he was going but he was definitely low trying to stay out of the clouds.

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[mikea]

I work in Oakbrook, IL, which is a subburb of Chicago. It is not far from KORD and KMDW. Anyway as I was walking out of my building last night at 6pm, I heard a single engine airplane over ahead. It was dark and it was snowing. The airplane was clearly scud running to the northeast, maybe at 600 to 800 AGL. He had only the starboard anti collision light working, and his tail light. Could not see any other navigation lights or even a beacon. Could see the plane clearly enough to know it was a low wing and could see him banking a couple of times. Bravo airspace starts at 1900 where he was at. Only airports in his direction are KPWK and KUGN. Hope he made it to where he was going but he was definitely low trying to stay out of the clouds.

Also Schaumburg if he wanted to push his luck on missing the water tank on downwind.

 

[Skystream]

Maybe. That's to the northwest. He would have had to fly a circle around Ohare.

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[JHW]

It's a little hard to say he was definitely doing anything. There are some instrument approaches into the residential air parks around there that are not published, you would not know about them

 

[James331]

Could be just trying to get out of the area before picking up his IFR, though flying a night in snow is perhaps more work than just dealing with a crappy clearance.

Or breaking off a approach to get into a airport without a IAP.

 

[Silvaire]

His lights were probably out because there is no money in running scud, drugs yes (see other thread) but not scud.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

It actually was vmc at 6pm; however it can look worse at night in the snow.
Do I have the right time & loc?

KORD 210032Z VRB06KT 5SM -SN OVC028 03/M04 A3023 RMK AO2 SNB16 P0000
KORD 202351Z 30004KT 10SM OVC048 03/M08 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP237 T00331083

KMDW 202353Z 29003KT 10SM FEW028 OVC050 05/M08 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP244 T00501078 10061 20044 56005
KMDW 202253Z 27004KT 10SM OVC060 04/M09 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP245 T00441089

 

[Skystream]

It actually was vmc at 6pm; however it can look worse at night in the snow.
Do I have the right time & loc?

KORD 210032Z VRB06KT 5SM -SN OVC028 03/M04 A3023 RMK AO2 SNB16 P0000
KORD 202351Z 30004KT 10SM OVC048 03/M08 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP237 T00331083

KMDW 202353Z 29003KT 10SM FEW028 OVC050 05/M08 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP244 T00501078 10061 20044 56005
KMDW 202253Z 27004KT 10SM OVC060 04/M09 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP245 T00441089

Yes that is about right. Looked like the ceiling was lower than that. But maybe not. The only nearby airparks were behind him. I would have guessed he was below 1000 AGL over densely populated area. My building is 8 stories tall and he was pretty close to it. Who knows. There was a winter storm warning in effect although heavy snow didn't hit for another hour. I am not instrument rated but would not think about flying with those conditions. I probably have balls of lead. Lol

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[Henning]

His lights were probably out because there is no money in running scud, drugs yes (see other thread) but not scud.

The two lights that were "out" we're probably just blocked from view. Unless you are directly below, above, or in front of the plane or along that arc somewhere, you will not see both wing tip lights at the same time by design rules (there's a few degrees of arc overlap allowable, but not much), and if the beacon/strobe is on top of the cabin, you will not see it from the ground.

Drug runners only ran low to stay under the radar at the ADIZ. Most just file IFR.