Narrative:

After being told there would be a short delay on our release from bkl due to traffic in and out of cle, we held short awaiting release. After 5 mins the tower at bkl was queried on the additional length of the delay. The tower said it would call and check. After several more mins, the tower advised at least another 5 mins delay should be expected. With the WX better than 3000 ft and 4 mi, I requested a VFR departure. The tower approved the departure on runway 06L and advised traffic in the pattern on left downwind. After leveling at 2000 ft to assure clearing class B airspace, I saw an mu-ii converging quickly upon us, although actually parallel to our course. We had our strobes navigation, and recognition lights all on to increase our conspicuity. The mitsubishi was configured similarly. We spotted each other and both turned left to increase separation. While I believe we were never quite on a 'collision' course, I found it disturbing that the tower did not warn us or the mu-ii of the mutual traffic until after the fact. The remainder of the flight was uneventful as we received our IFR form cle. Had I known prior to departure that aircraft were inbound on the runway 24R approach, I would not have left VFR. The tower however, only reported traffic in the pattern and our delay was due to traffic in and out of cle, and not inbounds on the runway 24R approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR ACFT ON DEP TAKES EVASIVE ACTION FROM SMT ON INBOUND TO SAME ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER BEING TOLD THERE WOULD BE A SHORT DELAY ON OUR RELEASE FROM BKL DUE TO TFC IN AND OUT OF CLE, WE HELD SHORT AWAITING RELEASE. AFTER 5 MINS THE TWR AT BKL WAS QUERIED ON THE ADDITIONAL LENGTH OF THE DELAY. THE TWR SAID IT WOULD CALL AND CHK. AFTER SEVERAL MORE MINS, THE TWR ADVISED AT LEAST ANOTHER 5 MINS DELAY SHOULD BE EXPECTED. WITH THE WX BETTER THAN 3000 FT AND 4 MI, I REQUESTED A VFR DEP. THE TWR APPROVED THE DEP ON RWY 06L AND ADVISED TFC IN THE PATTERN ON L DOWNWIND. AFTER LEVELING AT 2000 FT TO ASSURE CLRING CLASS B AIRSPACE, I SAW AN MU-II CONVERGING QUICKLY UPON US, ALTHOUGH ACTUALLY PARALLEL TO OUR COURSE. WE HAD OUR STROBES NAV, AND RECOGNITION LIGHTS ALL ON TO INCREASE OUR CONSPICUITY. THE MITSUBISHI WAS CONFIGURED SIMILARLY. WE SPOTTED EACH OTHER AND BOTH TURNED L TO INCREASE SEPARATION. WHILE I BELIEVE WE WERE NEVER QUITE ON A 'COLLISION' COURSE, I FOUND IT DISTURBING THAT THE TWR DID NOT WARN US OR THE MU-II OF THE MUTUAL TFC UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AS WE RECEIVED OUR IFR FORM CLE. HAD I KNOWN PRIOR TO DEP THAT ACFT WERE INBOUND ON THE RWY 24R APCH, I WOULD NOT HAVE LEFT VFR. THE TWR HOWEVER, ONLY RPTED TFC IN THE PATTERN AND OUR DELAY WAS DUE TO TFC IN AND OUT OF CLE, AND NOT INBOUNDS ON THE RWY 24R APCH.

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.