CLOSE PROX 2 GA ACFT IN PHF ATA.

Narrative

FIRST FLT FOR LOW TIME COMMERCIAL MULTI-ENG INST RATED PLT RECEIVING TURBOPROP TRAINING IN SMT. ATIS AT FLT PLANNING WAS 2300 FT SCATTERED; ESTIMATED 5000 FT BROKEN; 10 MI; SO INSTRUCTOR DECIDED TO GO VFR FOR EASE OF AIR WORK AND PRACTICE APCHS AT NEARBY UNCTLED ARPT. AS WE TAXIED TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE; AN SMA ROLLED ON TKOF. WE COMPLETED THE TKOF CHKLIST; DISCUSSED THE TKOF PROCS AND TECHNIQUES AND ROLLED 2-3 MINS AFTER THE SMA. THE STUDENT HAD HIS HANDS FULL WITH HIS FIRST TKOF IN A TURBOPROP AIRPLANE. FLEW NORMAL XWIND AND TWR CLRED US FOR A WIDE DOWNWIND DEP ON COURSE. TWR DID NOT MENTION THE SMA TFC ON OUR TKOF OR 'ON COURSE' CLRNC. NEW ATIS ISSUED 4 MINS AFTER THE INCIDENT WAS 2000 FT SCATTERED; 2300 FT OVCST; 7 LIGHT DRIZZLE AND RAIN. ON XWIND WE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND LOWER THAN EXPECTED CEILING. TWR CALLED TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI. IT WAS ACTUALLY PROBABLY AT 2 O'CLOCK IN OUR TURN AND HIGH OBSCURED BY THE WING. STUDENT IN R SEAT WAS SO BUSY FLYING THE AIRPLANE HE WAS NOT MUCH HELP IN LOOKING. SECOND STUDENT IN CABIN WAS LOOKING HARD BUT COULD NOT FIND TFC. SMA CROSSED OUR NOSE ON 45 DEG CONVERGING COURSE FROM R TO L AT OUR ALT. HE WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND HAD GOTTEN A LATE TURN ON COURSE TO THE SAME FIX WE WERE HDG FOR. TWR SHOULD HAVE ADVISED US OF SLOWER TFC TAKING OFF IN FRONT OF US. INSTRUCTOR SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. IFR SMA SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEEPING A BETTER LOOK OUT IN VMC.