Narrative:

I departed oxr. The aircraft was a single engine small aircraft X. The runway in use was runway 25. I requested and received approval from the tower for a right downwind departure. I leveled off at 1500'. The heading was approximately 070 degrees. The ATIS WX at departure was 2500' broken with 4 mi visibility. Approximately 1/2 mi east of the airport on the same heading of 070 degrees, a white low wing, fixed gear, cabin aircraft was coming toward me, approximately 030 degrees to the right of my nose. It was level and appeared to be not more than 1/2 mi from me at the same altitude. The other aircraft heading could have been approximately 280 degrees, since mine was 070 degrees, and it was approximately 030 degrees to the right of my nose. The other aircraft was proceeding straight and level and apparently did not see me. Within approximately 1-2 seconds, I responded with pulling up. The other aircraft passed directly under me with a sep that appeared to be 100-200'. It appeared to me that we would have had a midair collision had I not taken evasive action. The factors that contributed to the situation were 2 aircraft flying VFR in opp directions and at the same altitude. One of us took evasive action--me. The situation probably occurred because we were both VFR and both below 3000', where the odd and even altitudes + 500' do not apply. The see and be seen rule applies and fortunately for both, I saw him. Apparently he did not see me, or he would have taken evasive action. If all traffic were controled, it would eliminate most of these situations; however, there wouldn't be much private flying with these controls in effect. So, until someone comes up with a good idea, we must continue the see and be seen policy and hope that it works.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA, ON DOWNWIND DEP, HAS NMAC WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION SMA.

Narrative: I DEPARTED OXR. THE ACFT WAS A SINGLE ENG SMA X. THE RWY IN USE WAS RWY 25. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THE TWR FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND DEP. I LEVELED OFF AT 1500'. THE HDG WAS APPROX 070 DEGS. THE ATIS WX AT DEP WAS 2500' BROKEN WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY. APPROX 1/2 MI E OF THE ARPT ON THE SAME HDG OF 070 DEGS, A WHITE LOW WING, FIXED GEAR, CABIN ACFT WAS COMING TOWARD ME, APPROX 030 DEGS TO THE RIGHT OF MY NOSE. IT WAS LEVEL AND APPEARED TO BE NOT MORE THAN 1/2 MI FROM ME AT THE SAME ALT. THE OTHER ACFT HDG COULD HAVE BEEN APPROX 280 DEGS, SINCE MINE WAS 070 DEGS, AND IT WAS APPROX 030 DEGS TO THE RIGHT OF MY NOSE. THE OTHER ACFT WAS PROCEEDING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AND APPARENTLY DID NOT SEE ME. WITHIN APPROX 1-2 SECS, I RESPONDED WITH PULLING UP. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER ME WITH A SEP THAT APPEARED TO BE 100-200'. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD A MIDAIR COLLISION HAD I NOT TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION. THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SITUATION WERE 2 ACFT FLYING VFR IN OPP DIRECTIONS AND AT THE SAME ALT. ONE OF US TOOK EVASIVE ACTION--ME. THE SITUATION PROBABLY OCCURRED BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH VFR AND BOTH BELOW 3000', WHERE THE ODD AND EVEN ALTS + 500' DO NOT APPLY. THE SEE AND BE SEEN RULE APPLIES AND FORTUNATELY FOR BOTH, I SAW HIM. APPARENTLY HE DID NOT SEE ME, OR HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION. IF ALL TFC WERE CTLED, IT WOULD ELIMINATE MOST OF THESE SITUATIONS; HOWEVER, THERE WOULDN'T BE MUCH PVT FLYING WITH THESE CTLS IN EFFECT. SO, UNTIL SOMEONE COMES UP WITH A GOOD IDEA, WE MUST CONTINUE THE SEE AND BE SEEN POLICY AND HOPE THAT IT WORKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.