Narrative:

We were cleared by jacksonville center for the approach to runway 28 at gainesville, fl. We were then handed off to gnv tower. Gnv tower cleared us to land runway 28, report 2 mi left base. At approximately 2 mi on left base, we saw a light twin at approximately our 12 O'clock position. This aircraft passed approximately 150' horizontally in front of our aircraft at the same altitude on a southwest heading. There was no time for evasive action. We then quizzed the tower if they were aware of any known traffic in this area. They replied that an aircraft of this description had departed on an eastbound departure approximately 5 min before our arrival into the air traffic area. On the ground, I telephoned gnv control tower concerning the event. Gnv tower advised they had no radar at their facility, they said the aircraft in question had departed on another runway and had advised the tower they would be an eastbound departure from the area. The aircraft in question may have departed on an eastbound heading then changed to a southwest heading possibly because the WX on the east heading was less than marginal. The tower said the aircraft did not advise them of a change to a southwest heading. I feel that any airport with an operating control tower should be equipped with radar to enhance safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER SMT UNK-SMT IN GNV ATA.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY JACKSONVILLE CENTER FOR THE APCH TO RWY 28 AT GAINESVILLE, FL. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO GNV TWR. GNV TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 28, REPORT 2 MI LEFT BASE. AT APPROX 2 MI ON LEFT BASE, WE SAW A LIGHT TWIN AT APPROX OUR 12 O'CLOCK POSITION. THIS ACFT PASSED APPROX 150' HORIZONTALLY IN FRONT OF OUR ACFT AT THE SAME ALT ON A SW HDG. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR EVASIVE ACTION. WE THEN QUIZZED THE TWR IF THEY WERE AWARE OF ANY KNOWN TFC IN THIS AREA. THEY REPLIED THAT AN ACFT OF THIS DESCRIPTION HAD DEPARTED ON AN EBND DEP APPROX 5 MIN BEFORE OUR ARR INTO THE ATA. ON THE GND, I TELEPHONED GNV CTL TWR CONCERNING THE EVENT. GNV TWR ADVISED THEY HAD NO RADAR AT THEIR FAC, THEY SAID THE ACFT IN QUESTION HAD DEPARTED ON ANOTHER RWY AND HAD ADVISED THE TWR THEY WOULD BE AN EBND DEP FROM THE AREA. THE ACFT IN QUESTION MAY HAVE DEPARTED ON AN EBND HDG THEN CHANGED TO A SW HDG POSSIBLY BECAUSE THE WX ON THE E HDG WAS LESS THAN MARGINAL. THE TWR SAID THE ACFT DID NOT ADVISE THEM OF A CHANGE TO A SW HDG. I FEEL THAT ANY ARPT WITH AN OPERATING CTL TWR SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH RADAR TO ENHANCE SAFETY.

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.