Part 3/8:
As the flight approached Chicago, the tired winter weather featured heavy clouds and dense fog, creating challenging visibility conditions. During its descent, air traffic control (ATC) ordered Flight 553 to lower its altitude and adjust its speed multiple times to manage incoming traffic, including a slower aircraft ahead of it. Despite the experience of the crew and adherence to procedures, the situation grew increasingly precarious.
At 14:24, while descending to 3,000 feet, Flight 553 reported its position and acknowledged that they were set to land on the appropriate runway. Moments later, as crew members began executing their landing checklist, the situation escalated further when the aircraft's Stick Shaker activated, indicating an impending stall.