Narrative:

This ASRS is to report a general unsafe condition when flying north or south under ATC control east of O'hare. ATC keeps IFR single engine aircraft too low/too far east over lake michigan to allow a glide to land. Specifically: in 1/88, returning on an IFR training flight sbn to ugn, we were being vectored northbound 3 mi out over the lake and were reduced to 2000' altitude (1300' AGL) and were not allowed to climb or go closer to land. In 3/88, returning on an IFR training flight mgy-rid-mie-ugn, we were kept at 3000' along victor 7. Even west/O wind, we could not glide to shore anywhere north of laird intersection. Our prevailing winds are westerly, making the situation worse. Time was XX00Z sat and traffic was very light. Note: accident statistics show the great majority of forced lndgs do not result in fatalities. The conditions reported above will result in certain death 12/1 to 4/1 when there is no boat traffic and the water is cold. The likelihood of fatalities at other times will be very high and almost certain at night. During those and other flts, I and others have asked for higher altitudes/vectors closer to shore. Only once was I allowed to go as high as 3500', but this was south of meigs. The solution is easy: bring the single engine IFR route close to shore/raise the altitude so we are within gliding distance of land. I would prefer to be brought up into the TCA for sep from VFR traffic. Note: 1/88 trip we did not demand higher or closer or refuse the clearance which we could have done.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA COMPLAINS ABOUT TRACON PROC OF VECTORING SINGLE ENGINE ACFT BEYOND GLIDE DISTANCE FROM AND OVER WATER.

Narrative: THIS ASRS IS TO RPT A GENERAL UNSAFE CONDITION WHEN FLYING N OR S UNDER ATC CTL E OF O'HARE. ATC KEEPS IFR SINGLE ENG ACFT TOO LOW/TOO FAR E OVER LAKE MICHIGAN TO ALLOW A GLIDE TO LAND. SPECIFICALLY: IN 1/88, RETURNING ON AN IFR TRNING FLT SBN TO UGN, WE WERE BEING VECTORED NBOUND 3 MI OUT OVER THE LAKE AND WERE REDUCED TO 2000' ALT (1300' AGL) AND WERE NOT ALLOWED TO CLB OR GO CLOSER TO LAND. IN 3/88, RETURNING ON AN IFR TRNING FLT MGY-RID-MIE-UGN, WE WERE KEPT AT 3000' ALONG VICTOR 7. EVEN W/O WIND, WE COULD NOT GLIDE TO SHORE ANYWHERE N OF LAIRD INTXN. OUR PREVAILING WINDS ARE WESTERLY, MAKING THE SITUATION WORSE. TIME WAS XX00Z SAT AND TFC WAS VERY LIGHT. NOTE: ACCIDENT STATISTICS SHOW THE GREAT MAJORITY OF FORCED LNDGS DO NOT RESULT IN FATALITIES. THE CONDITIONS RPTED ABOVE WILL RESULT IN CERTAIN DEATH 12/1 TO 4/1 WHEN THERE IS NO BOAT TFC AND THE WATER IS COLD. THE LIKELIHOOD OF FATALITIES AT OTHER TIMES WILL BE VERY HIGH AND ALMOST CERTAIN AT NIGHT. DURING THOSE AND OTHER FLTS, I AND OTHERS HAVE ASKED FOR HIGHER ALTS/VECTORS CLOSER TO SHORE. ONLY ONCE WAS I ALLOWED TO GO AS HIGH AS 3500', BUT THIS WAS S OF MEIGS. THE SOLUTION IS EASY: BRING THE SINGLE ENG IFR ROUTE CLOSE TO SHORE/RAISE THE ALT SO WE ARE WITHIN GLIDING DISTANCE OF LAND. I WOULD PREFER TO BE BROUGHT UP INTO THE TCA FOR SEP FROM VFR TFC. NOTE: 1/88 TRIP WE DID NOT DEMAND HIGHER OR CLOSER OR REFUSE THE CLRNC WHICH WE COULD HAVE DONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.