Narrative:

The tower seemed busy for the controller handling the traffic. The same controller that was doing local control was also doing ground control, but not on the same frequency. There were 5 aircraft operating in the area at the time--4 small aircraft's and air carrier y--when the problem arose. The local controller was making 1 call and addressing all 5 aircraft in 1 breath. The confusion started when an small aircraft on the ILS runway 29R was told to abandon the approach and turn to an east heading. Air carrier Y thought it was for him. At that time tower issued small aircraft X takeoff clearance on runway 29L and another small aircraft on runway 29R. Everyone was attempting to acknowledge their clearance at the same time. We acknowledged our takeoff clearance and requested a left turnout which was approved. 10 seconds after our departure, air carrier Y did a touch and go on 29R and at that time the tower told us to make a let crosswind departure which we acknowledged and complied with. Air carrier Y passed 300' above us (making left traffic for 29R) and had us in sight. About 3 mins later the tower asked us if we were having radio problem because we did not acknowledge our clearance according to them, but we did and I think that we were blocked by everyone trying to acknowledge their clrncs at the same time. I think the controller thought he had a traffic conflict, but we complied with his instructions and we also reported the air carrier Y in sight and he reported us in sight. I don't understand why he asked us if we had radio problems unless the congestion on the frequency caused our acknowledgement for the left crosswind departure to be lost. I think the controller should allow response time as well as the pilots listening for a 'readback correct,' and if not received, ask the controller to confirm instruciton.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN SMA X AND ACR Y IN ATA. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT IN EFFECT.

Narrative: THE TWR SEEMED BUSY FOR THE CTLR HANDLING THE TFC. THE SAME CTLR THAT WAS DOING LCL CTL WAS ALSO DOING GND CTL, BUT NOT ON THE SAME FREQ. THERE WERE 5 ACFT OPERATING IN THE AREA AT THE TIME--4 SMA'S AND ACR Y--WHEN THE PROB AROSE. THE LCL CTLR WAS MAKING 1 CALL AND ADDRESSING ALL 5 ACFT IN 1 BREATH. THE CONFUSION STARTED WHEN AN SMA ON THE ILS RWY 29R WAS TOLD TO ABANDON THE APCH AND TURN TO AN E HDG. ACR Y THOUGHT IT WAS FOR HIM. AT THAT TIME TWR ISSUED SMA X TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 29L AND ANOTHER SMA ON RWY 29R. EVERYONE WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR CLRNC AT THE SAME TIME. WE ACKNOWLEDGED OUR TKOF CLRNC AND REQUESTED A LEFT TURNOUT WHICH WAS APPROVED. 10 SECS AFTER OUR DEP, ACR Y DID A TOUCH AND GO ON 29R AND AT THAT TIME THE TWR TOLD US TO MAKE A LET XWIND DEP WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED WITH. ACR Y PASSED 300' ABOVE US (MAKING LEFT TFC FOR 29R) AND HAD US IN SIGHT. ABOUT 3 MINS LATER THE TWR ASKED US IF WE WERE HAVING RADIO PROB BECAUSE WE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CLRNC ACCORDING TO THEM, BUT WE DID AND I THINK THAT WE WERE BLOCKED BY EVERYONE TRYING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR CLRNCS AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK THE CTLR THOUGHT HE HAD A TFC CONFLICT, BUT WE COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND WE ALSO RPTED THE ACR Y IN SIGHT AND HE RPTED US IN SIGHT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE ASKED US IF WE HAD RADIO PROBS UNLESS THE CONGESTION ON THE FREQ CAUSED OUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR THE LEFT XWIND DEP TO BE LOST. I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD ALLOW RESPONSE TIME AS WELL AS THE PLTS LISTENING FOR A 'READBACK CORRECT,' AND IF NOT RECEIVED, ASK THE CTLR TO CONFIRM INSTRUCITON.

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