An overflying PA38 on traffic patrol reported near miss with a departing bonanza.

Attributes
ACN	388753
Time
Date	199712
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lit tower : lit
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-38 Tomahawk
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Beechcraft, Beech Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual departure other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	388753
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

#2 aircraft low fixed wing, private, pleasure, VFR. #1 aircraft doing local traffic watch over the city. Radar controller had pointed out the traffic to tower. #2 aircraft departed on issued heading of 270 degrees. Moderate or greater traffic density. #1 aircraft in sight from tower when #2 aircraft departed. Traffic was not issued to #2 aircraft by tower because assigned heading passed behind #1 aircraft flight path and additional traffic workload. #1 aircraft reported to radar controller, he felt it was a near midair when he saw the #2 airplane. #2 airplane was flying into the sunset and never saw #1 airplane. #1 aircraft flies this area on a regular basis and is aware of possible traffic departing adams field. Tower had visual contact with both aircraft and #2 aircraft on frequency. If #1 aircraft will not 'see and be seen' then he should not be allowed to maneuver at his discretion within 5 mi of the airport during periods of possible moderate traffic. Supplemental information from acn 388977: I was cleared to takeoff runway 18 at lit, turn right to 270 degrees. This had me looking into the setting sun. As I was climbing out, having turned to 270 degrees, I overheard a pilot in a tomahawk ask what the deal was on the bonanza. He went on to say that we only missed by approximately 150 ft. Shortly thereafter tower or departure gave me a number to call to speak to the supervisor. I called later and spoke to mr X. He said that the pilot of the tomahawk was extremely upset. He had had to take evasive action for us to miss. Apparently I lost him in the setting sun. Mr X went on to say that the tomahawk was doing traffic patrol, apparently turned and the controller missed it. I was in radio contact and received no traffic report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OVERFLYING PA38 ON TFC PATROL RPTED NEAR MISS WITH A DEPARTING BONANZA.

Narrative: #2 ACFT LOW FIXED WING, PVT, PLEASURE, VFR. #1 ACFT DOING LCL TFC WATCH OVER THE CITY. RADAR CTLR HAD POINTED OUT THE TFC TO TWR. #2 ACFT DEPARTED ON ISSUED HDG OF 270 DEGS. MODERATE OR GREATER TFC DENSITY. #1 ACFT IN SIGHT FROM TWR WHEN #2 ACFT DEPARTED. TFC WAS NOT ISSUED TO #2 ACFT BY TWR BECAUSE ASSIGNED HEADING PASSED BEHIND #1 ACFT FLT PATH AND ADDITIONAL TFC WORKLOAD. #1 ACFT RPTED TO RADAR CTLR, HE FELT IT WAS A NEAR MIDAIR WHEN HE SAW THE #2 AIRPLANE. #2 AIRPLANE WAS FLYING INTO THE SUNSET AND NEVER SAW #1 AIRPLANE. #1 ACFT FLIES THIS AREA ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IS AWARE OF POSSIBLE TFC DEPARTING ADAMS FIELD. TWR HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH BOTH ACFT AND #2 ACFT ON FREQ. IF #1 ACFT WILL NOT 'SEE AND BE SEEN' THEN HE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO MANEUVER AT HIS DISCRETION WITHIN 5 MI OF THE ARPT DURING PERIODS OF POSSIBLE MODERATE TFC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 388977: I WAS CLRED TO TKOF RWY 18 AT LIT, TURN R TO 270 DEGS. THIS HAD ME LOOKING INTO THE SETTING SUN. AS I WAS CLBING OUT, HAVING TURNED TO 270 DEGS, I OVERHEARD A PLT IN A TOMAHAWK ASK WHAT THE DEAL WAS ON THE BONANZA. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT WE ONLY MISSED BY APPROX 150 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER TWR OR DEP GAVE ME A NUMBER TO CALL TO SPEAK TO THE SUPVR. I CALLED LATER AND SPOKE TO MR X. HE SAID THAT THE PLT OF THE TOMAHAWK WAS EXTREMELY UPSET. HE HAD HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION FOR US TO MISS. APPARENTLY I LOST HIM IN THE SETTING SUN. MR X WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE TOMAHAWK WAS DOING TFC PATROL, APPARENTLY TURNED AND THE CTLR MISSED IT. I WAS IN RADIO CONTACT AND RECEIVED NO TFC RPT.

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.