Narrative:

I was flying right seat with another pilot. We were returning to the camarillo airport to land. Tower had cleared us to enter a right downwind from a one mile 45 degree entry. We were letting down and were about one mile from our turn point getting ready to enter a right downwind over the freeway. About this time the tower called traffic taking off from the airport. The right seat pilot; who was pilot-in-command; saw the traffic and reported; 'traffic in sight' as it was lifting off from the runway and approaching the departure end. I looked to the right and saw an aircraft; which appeared to be five miles or so away and wrongly concluded that this was the traffic tower was calling out. About ninety seconds later an airplane; appeared on the right hand side towards the front of our aircraft; at our altitude and less than what I estimated to be less than 100 ft. The pilot in command pushed the yoke forward and the other aircraft went by from right to left over the top of our cowling at approximately twenty feet or less. The pilot in command called in a near miss to the tower. We did a pattern entry; touch and go and then a full stop landing. At this time I called the tower on my cell phone and reported the incident. While we were putting the airplane away; a car drove up. The driver and passenger told us they were on the freeway and observed the near miss. Both of these men were experienced pilots with more than fifty years experience between them. They were of the opinion that a mid-air was about to happen. They saw our aircraft wobble as the other aircraft flew overhead of our aircraft. They came back to the airport to see if they could find the pilot of our aircraft. in a later conversation with the control tower I learned that the other aircraft had been cleared for a right downwind departure at the same time we were ingressing from the saticoy bridge. The pilot-in command of our aircraft saw the amphibian lifting off from the runway but had no idea that this aircraft was cleared for a right downwind departure. Our aircraft was descending to traffic pattern altitude and preparing to turn right. I was in the left seat and scanning to the right to ensure that we were clear. Evidently; the amphibian was below; turning right and climbing. I never saw him until he filled the windscreen. I braced for the impact that fortunately never came. I would suggest that the tower not clear any aircraft for a right downwind departure while another aircraft is inbound from the saticoy bridge. This is my second incident in one week involving a trainee controller at cma tower.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A small aircraft Pilot on approach to CMA reported a near miss at 900' with an aircraft that was departing. The departing aircraft failed to turn on an assigned right downwind departure.

Narrative: I was flying right seat with another pilot. We were returning to the Camarillo airport to land. Tower had cleared us to enter a right downwind from a one mile 45 degree entry. We were letting down and were about one mile from our turn point getting ready to enter a right downwind over the freeway. About this time the Tower called traffic taking off from the airport. The right seat pilot; who was pilot-in-command; saw the traffic and reported; 'traffic in sight' as it was lifting off from the runway and approaching the departure end. I looked to the right and saw an aircraft; which appeared to be five miles or so away and wrongly concluded that this was the traffic Tower was calling out. About ninety seconds later an airplane; appeared on the right hand side towards the front of our aircraft; at our altitude and less than what I estimated to be less than 100 FT. The pilot in command pushed the yoke forward and the other aircraft went by from right to left over the top of our cowling at approximately twenty feet or less. The pilot in command called in a near miss to the Tower. We did a pattern entry; touch and go and then a full stop landing. At this time I called the Tower on my cell phone and reported the incident. While we were putting the airplane away; a car drove up. The driver and passenger told us they were on the freeway and observed the near miss. Both of these men were experienced pilots with more than fifty years experience between them. They were of the opinion that a mid-air was about to happen. They saw our aircraft wobble as the other aircraft flew overhead of our aircraft. They came back to the airport to see if they could find the pilot of our aircraft. In a later conversation with the Control Tower I learned that the other aircraft had been cleared for a right downwind departure at the same time we were ingressing from the Saticoy Bridge. The pilot-in command of our aircraft saw the amphibian lifting off from the runway but had no idea that this aircraft was cleared for a right downwind departure. Our aircraft was descending to traffic pattern altitude and preparing to turn right. I was in the left seat and scanning to the right to ensure that we were clear. Evidently; the amphibian was below; turning right and climbing. I never saw him until he filled the windscreen. I braced for the impact that fortunately never came. I would suggest that the Tower not clear any aircraft for a right downwind departure while another aircraft is inbound from the Saticoy Bridge. This is my second incident in one week involving a trainee controller at CMA Tower.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.