Narrative:

Flying an small transport twin from cgx to spi we could have had a traffic conflict while departing cgx on an IFR flight plan. The WX was not a problem. I remember fairly high cloud layers of at least 5000 to 6000 ft, broken with unlimited visibility. We called for our clearance and received our IFR clearance routing to spi. We were cleared to taxi to runway 36 for departure. There were several aircraft waiting for departure which put us in line for 5 to 6 mins before departure. We were listening to tower frequency this entire time. We were released and cleared for departure with a heading of 140 degrees and initial altitude of 2000 ft. We took off and passing 1000 ft started a turn to 140 (right turn). Tower switched us to departure frequency of 118.4. Checked in with departure and they immediately gave us a clearance to 6000 ft. I was sitting in the right seat and was looking out the window and observed a twin engine aircraft rapidly filling the window. I grabbed the controls and initiated a descent. We had apexed at about 2200 ft. After we both visually cleared ourselves we resumed a normal climb to 6000 ft. Once we were stable and level at 6000 ft I called cgx tower to ask if they knew about the other aircraft. They replied that they did and that he was 500 ft higher than us. I informed them that we had been immediately cleared to 6000 ft by departure and were surprised to see traffic so close to us. We both talked this over and neither one of us can remember hearing tower talk to a northbound twin engine aircraft while we were taxiing out or sitting in line. Tower gave us clearance for takeoff but did not inform us of the other traffic. Immediately after takeoff and while we were within the cgx air traffic area, they switched us over to departure. (This is SOP for cgx.) only diligence in looking outside prevented us from having a real close encounter. I would estimate that we were within 300 ft vertically and about 1500 ft horizontal when I observed the other aircraft. Too close. Tower should understand that when they hand aircraft off to departure they have forfeited control and any previous altitude separation can be nullified by additional altitude clearance given by departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR ACFT TAKES EVASIVE ACTION DURING INITIAL CLB AS SMT CLOSES INTO FLT PATH.

Narrative: FLYING AN SMT TWIN FROM CGX TO SPI WE COULD HAVE HAD A TFC CONFLICT WHILE DEPARTING CGX ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. THE WX WAS NOT A PROB. I REMEMBER FAIRLY HIGH CLOUD LAYERS OF AT LEAST 5000 TO 6000 FT, BROKEN WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. WE CALLED FOR OUR CLRNC AND RECEIVED OUR IFR CLRNC ROUTING TO SPI. WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 36 FOR DEP. THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT WAITING FOR DEP WHICH PUT US IN LINE FOR 5 TO 6 MINS BEFORE DEP. WE WERE LISTENING TO TWR FREQ THIS ENTIRE TIME. WE WERE RELEASED AND CLRED FOR DEP WITH A HDG OF 140 DEGS AND INITIAL ALT OF 2000 FT. WE TOOK OFF AND PASSING 1000 FT STARTED A TURN TO 140 (R TURN). TWR SWITCHED US TO DEP FREQ OF 118.4. CHKED IN WITH DEP AND THEY IMMEDIATELY GAVE US A CLRNC TO 6000 FT. I WAS SITTING IN THE R SEAT AND WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND OBSERVED A TWIN ENG ACFT RAPIDLY FILLING THE WINDOW. I GRABBED THE CTLS AND INITIATED A DSCNT. WE HAD APEXED AT ABOUT 2200 FT. AFTER WE BOTH VISUALLY CLRED OURSELVES WE RESUMED A NORMAL CLB TO 6000 FT. ONCE WE WERE STABLE AND LEVEL AT 6000 FT I CALLED CGX TWR TO ASK IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THE OTHER ACFT. THEY REPLIED THAT THEY DID AND THAT HE WAS 500 FT HIGHER THAN US. I INFORMED THEM THAT WE HAD BEEN IMMEDIATELY CLRED TO 6000 FT BY DEP AND WERE SURPRISED TO SEE TFC SO CLOSE TO US. WE BOTH TALKED THIS OVER AND NEITHER ONE OF US CAN REMEMBER HEARING TWR TALK TO A NBOUND TWIN ENG ACFT WHILE WE WERE TAXIING OUT OR SITTING IN LINE. TWR GAVE US CLRNC FOR TKOF BUT DID NOT INFORM US OF THE OTHER TFC. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AND WHILE WE WERE WITHIN THE CGX ATA, THEY SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP. (THIS IS SOP FOR CGX.) ONLY DILIGENCE IN LOOKING OUTSIDE PREVENTED US FROM HAVING A REAL CLOSE ENCOUNTER. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT WE WERE WITHIN 300 FT VERTICALLY AND ABOUT 1500 FT HORIZ WHEN I OBSERVED THE OTHER ACFT. TOO CLOSE. TWR SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY HAND ACFT OFF TO DEP THEY HAVE FORFEITED CTL AND ANY PREVIOUS ALT SEPARATION CAN BE NULLIFIED BY ADDITIONAL ALT CLRNC GIVEN BY DEP.

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.