Narrative:

Like all incidents, a series of circumstances led to situation which was potentially dangerous. Even though on weekends it is one of the busiest in south carolina, hilton head island's airport does not have a control tower. Since the wind was calm, pilots were using both runway directions. Since the WX was marginal VFR, both IFR and VFR operations were taking place. Although I plan to install one, my aircraft does not have a TCASII. I was given an IFR release by savannah approach control (121.1 MHZ) to depart runway 3 for an IFR flight from hxd to cho. The controller did advise that there was a VFR aircraft in the area. As I recall, I made a brief announcement on unicom (123.0 MHZ) before taxiing onto the runway but, quickly, transferred to beaufort approach control (125.6 MHZ). Shortly after rotation, I saw a light twin on approach to runway 21. I broke to the right as did the pilot of the other aircraft. Our 2 planes passed no closer than 1000 ft. I contributed to the situation in 3 ways. First, I should have quizzed the savannah approach controller about the exact location of the VFR aircraft. Second, I should have had a better practical understanding that an IFR release at an uncontrolled field differs from that of one at a controled field. At a theoretical level, I understand the differences. However, I reacted as if the airspace was both clear and fully protected. Finally, I should have used the unicom more proactively. Rather than making a passive announcement, I should have asked where the VFR traffic was and what were his intentions. I think the controller should have alerted me as to exact location of the VFR aircraft. Had he done that, I obviously would not have departed. Also, pilots should have a better practical (as opposed to theoretical) understanding of ATC IFR departure and arrival limitations at uncontrolled airports. I wonder if the tragic accident at quincy, il, last yr was not partially caused by a pilot's misunderstanding over an IFR release? I have been attending flight safety on a regular basis for 4 yrs. Nothing has been taught to me in either the baron or C90 king air programs on potentially dangerous sits like the one I recently experienced. I will bring this up with them and suggest that their programs be modified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF BE90B DEPARTING NON TWR ARPT ON IFR CLRNC HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A VFR ACFT ON APCH TO LAND.

Narrative: LIKE ALL INCIDENTS, A SERIES OF CIRCUMSTANCES LED TO SIT WHICH WAS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. EVEN THOUGH ON WEEKENDS IT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA, HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S ARPT DOES NOT HAVE A CTL TWR. SINCE THE WIND WAS CALM, PLTS WERE USING BOTH RWY DIRECTIONS. SINCE THE WX WAS MARGINAL VFR, BOTH IFR AND VFR OPS WERE TAKING PLACE. ALTHOUGH I PLAN TO INSTALL ONE, MY ACFT DOES NOT HAVE A TCASII. I WAS GIVEN AN IFR RELEASE BY SAVANNAH APCH CTL (121.1 MHZ) TO DEPART RWY 3 FOR AN IFR FLT FROM HXD TO CHO. THE CTLR DID ADVISE THAT THERE WAS A VFR ACFT IN THE AREA. AS I RECALL, I MADE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT ON UNICOM (123.0 MHZ) BEFORE TAXIING ONTO THE RWY BUT, QUICKLY, TRANSFERRED TO BEAUFORT APCH CTL (125.6 MHZ). SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION, I SAW A LIGHT TWIN ON APCH TO RWY 21. I BROKE TO THE R AS DID THE PLT OF THE OTHER ACFT. OUR 2 PLANES PASSED NO CLOSER THAN 1000 FT. I CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT IN 3 WAYS. FIRST, I SHOULD HAVE QUIZZED THE SAVANNAH APCH CTLR ABOUT THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE VFR ACFT. SECOND, I SHOULD HAVE HAD A BETTER PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING THAT AN IFR RELEASE AT AN UNCTLED FIELD DIFFERS FROM THAT OF ONE AT A CTLED FIELD. AT A THEORETICAL LEVEL, I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES. HOWEVER, I REACTED AS IF THE AIRSPACE WAS BOTH CLR AND FULLY PROTECTED. FINALLY, I SHOULD HAVE USED THE UNICOM MORE PROACTIVELY. RATHER THAN MAKING A PASSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED WHERE THE VFR TFC WAS AND WHAT WERE HIS INTENTIONS. I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME AS TO EXACT LOCATION OF THE VFR ACFT. HAD HE DONE THAT, I OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT HAVE DEPARTED. ALSO, PLTS SHOULD HAVE A BETTER PRACTICAL (AS OPPOSED TO THEORETICAL) UNDERSTANDING OF ATC IFR DEP AND ARR LIMITATIONS AT UNCTLED ARPTS. I WONDER IF THE TRAGIC ACCIDENT AT QUINCY, IL, LAST YR WAS NOT PARTIALLY CAUSED BY A PLT'S MISUNDERSTANDING OVER AN IFR RELEASE? I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING FLT SAFETY ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR 4 YRS. NOTHING HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO ME IN EITHER THE BARON OR C90 KING AIR PROGRAMS ON POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITS LIKE THE ONE I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED. I WILL BRING THIS UP WITH THEM AND SUGGEST THAT THEIR PROGRAMS BE MODIFIED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.