Narrative:

In preparation for a cross country flight, I reviewed the sectional chart for san antonio, but failed to notice the 2049 ft tower to the west of sat. I planned a wbound departure, followed by a turn to the north. I departed runway 12R. The tower instructed me to fly runway heading. I was then handed off to departure control and cleared for 'own navigation,' but remained in contact with departure. I leveled off at 2000 ft MSL, on a heading of 270 degrees. Workload remained high due in part to an apparent precession problem with the directional gyroscope. I had to repeatedly set it, only to look back to find it in error by 20-30 degrees. I did not have as much of my attention focused out in front of the airplane as I should have. After looking away for a few seconds to check position against the sectional chart, I looked up to the startling sight of the 2049 ft radio tower at about my 1 O'clock position, approximately 1000-2000 ft away. I turned abruptly left. We passed within about 1000 ft horizontal clearance. We were not actually on direct collision course, but we were awfully close to it. It was not particularly good judgement to fly 2000 ft MSL above a heavily populated area when I had the option to climb higher. Actions or inactions: lack of sufficient preflight review of sectional chart. Though it is not the responsibility of departure control, it could have ensured obstruction avoidance if they had provided an advisory of the 2049 ft tower in our path.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT, ON SIGHT-SEEING TOUR, ALMOST HITS RADIO TWR. PLT DISTR WITH PERSONAL ACTIVITIES IN COCKPIT AND SOME EQUIP PROBS.

Narrative: IN PREPARATION FOR A XCOUNTRY FLT, I REVIEWED THE SECTIONAL CHART FOR SAN ANTONIO, BUT FAILED TO NOTICE THE 2049 FT TWR TO THE W OF SAT. I PLANNED A WBOUND DEP, FOLLOWED BY A TURN TO THE N. I DEPARTED RWY 12R. THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY RWY HEADING. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL AND CLRED FOR 'OWN NAV,' BUT REMAINED IN CONTACT WITH DEP. I LEVELED OFF AT 2000 FT MSL, ON A HDG OF 270 DEGS. WORKLOAD REMAINED HIGH DUE IN PART TO AN APPARENT PRECESSION PROB WITH THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE. I HAD TO REPEATEDLY SET IT, ONLY TO LOOK BACK TO FIND IT IN ERROR BY 20-30 DEGS. I DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH OF MY ATTN FOCUSED OUT IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE AS I SHOULD HAVE. AFTER LOOKING AWAY FOR A FEW SECONDS TO CHK POS AGAINST THE SECTIONAL CHART, I LOOKED UP TO THE STARTLING SIGHT OF THE 2049 FT RADIO TWR AT ABOUT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS, APPROX 1000-2000 FT AWAY. I TURNED ABRUPTLY L. WE PASSED WITHIN ABOUT 1000 FT HORIZ CLRNC. WE WERE NOT ACTUALLY ON DIRECT COLLISION COURSE, BUT WE WERE AWFULLY CLOSE TO IT. IT WAS NOT PARTICULARLY GOOD JUDGEMENT TO FLY 2000 FT MSL ABOVE A HEAVILY POPULATED AREA WHEN I HAD THE OPTION TO CLB HIGHER. ACTIONS OR INACTIONS: LACK OF SUFFICIENT PREFLT REVIEW OF SECTIONAL CHART. THOUGH IT IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DEP CTL, IT COULD HAVE ENSURED OBSTRUCTION AVOIDANCE IF THEY HAD PROVIDED AN ADVISORY OF THE 2049 FT TWR IN OUR PATH.

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.