This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
Upon departure from Runway 30R at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (KBJC) in Denver, I, along with a CFI, were cleared to turn northbound 2-3 miles off the departure end of the runway.
At about 1 mile off the departure end of the runway, Tower cleared us for a northbound (right) turn. When we turned northbound, a light aircraft in our blind spot was less than 200 feet off the nose of our aircraft. I steepened the right hand turn and the light aircraft also took evasive action turning hard right.
After listening to ATC audio on the ground, the light aircraft was cleared for a midfield right downwind to 30R. Instead, he was flying through the departure leg at about 6,300 feet MSL. This was unnoticed by ATC until after the near collision occurred.
The light aircraft was being flown by a student solo pilot. After the near miss, the light aircraft pilot said he became “disoriented” looking for traffic.
ATC asked if he had the airport in sight, because after the incident the light aircraft was now flying away from the airport on the departure leg. I do not think the Tower Controller ever realized the mistake nor was the light aircraft pilot instructed to call the Tower. I believe Tower may have been “behind the plane.”
It seems they assumed the inbound light aircraft was adhering to their clearance without verifying it.
I believe the student solo pilot either thought he was landing on 12L (the reciprocal runway), or believed he was cleared for a downwind for 30L and was attempting to fly a crosswind for this runway. The light aircraft pilot did eventually land on 30L.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2190661
When you click on the link it will take you to the ASRS Online Database. Click on Report Number and put the ACN in the search box, then click Search. On that page, click on “view only the 1 most recent report.”
