Aircraft X had near midair collision with aircraft Y in VFR tower area.
Synopsis
Aircraft X had near midair collision with aircraft Y in VFR tower area.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
Aircraft Y had just departed the active runway and the control tower told him to 'maintain runway heading; contact departure.' When I next looked he had made a right turn. The aircraft was climbing and was already above aircraft X altitude.
Aircraft X was descending into traffic area for a right downwind. Aircraft Y crossed above and behind us. No evasive action was necessary. Since aircraft Y was switched to departure control I did not hear him get cleared for a right turn.
I think this type situation could be prevented better if aircraft operating in the same airspace (an ATA in this situation) could remain on the same frequency. In this situation an aircraft still well inside the ATA and below the traffic pattern altitude had already left the control tower frequency and a controller on departure control is directing an airplane in the ATA in VMC. I was squawking XXXX with altitude on and operating.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
ACFT Y HAD JUST DEPARTED THE ACTIVE RWY AND THE CTL TWR TOLD HIM TO 'MAINTAIN RWY HDG; CONTACT DEP.' WHEN I NEXT LOOKED HE HAD MADE A RIGHT TURN. THE ACFT WAS CLBING AND WAS ALREADY ABOVE ACFT X ALT. ACFT X WAS DSNDING INTO TFC AREA FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND. ACFT Y CROSSED ABOVE AND BEHIND US. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY. SINCE ACFT Y WAS SWITCHED TO DEP CTL I DID NOT HEAR HIM GET CLRED FOR A RIGHT TURN. I THINK THIS TYPE SITUATION COULD BE PREVENTED BETTER IF ACFT OPERATING IN THE SAME AIRSPACE (AN ATA IN THIS SITUATION) COULD REMAIN ON THE SAME FREQ. IN THIS SITUATION AN ACFT STILL WELL INSIDE THE ATA AND BELOW THE TFC PATTERN ALT HAD ALREADY LEFT THE CTL TWR FREQ AND A CTLR ON DEP CTL IS DIRECTING AN AIRPLANE IN THE ATA IN VMC. I WAS SQUAWKING XXXX WITH ALT ON AND OPERATING.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.