Narrative:

I departed merrill field, runway 24, with approval for a 'ship creek' departure. (This entails a right turn shortly after liftoff, usually at about 400 ft MSL, to intercept ship creek wbound. Such departures are required to maintain at or below 600 ft MSL (far part 93) till crossing knik arm of cook inlet, so as to remain below the final approach course to runway 5 at elmerdorf AFB. Once over ship creek, at 600 ft MSL, I contacted merrill tower and requested a waiver from the altitude restr in order to continue climb, a common request, usually granted when there is no traffic. Merrill tower advised that a waiver could not be granted due to a cessna on a 10 mi final to elmendorf. (Such traffic would be about 9 mi from my current position.) less than 30 seconds later, I became aware of a cessna directly in front of me, opposite direction, slightly higher (perhaps 30 ft), at about a distance of less than 300 ft, in a climbing, left turn. I had no time to take any action. I passed beneath the cessna. To my knowledge, merrill tower did not issue that traffic to me, nor to the other aircraft. Any aircraft in that location would have been required to be in contact with merrill tower. Several mins later, while working anchorage departure, I contacted merrill ground to comment about the incident, but they seemed unaware of the occurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A DEP PA28 AND AN INBOUND, NORAC, C172 1 NM W OF MRI.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD, RWY 24, WITH APPROVAL FOR A 'SHIP CREEK' DEP. (THIS ENTAILS A R TURN SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, USUALLY AT ABOUT 400 FT MSL, TO INTERCEPT SHIP CREEK WBOUND. SUCH DEPS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 600 FT MSL (FAR PART 93) TILL XING KNIK ARM OF COOK INLET, SO AS TO REMAIN BELOW THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 5 AT ELMERDORF AFB. ONCE OVER SHIP CREEK, AT 600 FT MSL, I CONTACTED MERRILL TWR AND REQUESTED A WAIVER FROM THE ALT RESTR IN ORDER TO CONTINUE CLB, A COMMON REQUEST, USUALLY GRANTED WHEN THERE IS NO TFC. MERRILL TWR ADVISED THAT A WAIVER COULD NOT BE GRANTED DUE TO A CESSNA ON A 10 MI FINAL TO ELMENDORF. (SUCH TFC WOULD BE ABOUT 9 MI FROM MY CURRENT POS.) LESS THAN 30 SECONDS LATER, I BECAME AWARE OF A CESSNA DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SLIGHTLY HIGHER (PERHAPS 30 FT), AT ABOUT A DISTANCE OF LESS THAN 300 FT, IN A CLBING, L TURN. I HAD NO TIME TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I PASSED BENEATH THE CESSNA. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, MERRILL TWR DID NOT ISSUE THAT TFC TO ME, NOR TO THE OTHER ACFT. ANY ACFT IN THAT LOCATION WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH MERRILL TWR. SEVERAL MINS LATER, WHILE WORKING ANCHORAGE DEP, I CONTACTED MERRILL GND TO COMMENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT, BUT THEY SEEMED UNAWARE OF THE OCCURRENCE.

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.