Near midair collision in traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	285675
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : saf
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : saf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-30 Twin Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	285675
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

During commercial flight practical examination, FAA designated examiner was evaluating my performance in first landing on the examination. We advised santa flight engineer tower we were established on left downwind to runway 20 and were cleared to land. I heard tower clear a twin comanche to depart runway 2 and climb on course. Neither the examiner nor I heard a TA for either aircraft. A few moments later, I observed the comanche on an intercept course at our altitude. I took evasive action to avoid colliding with the aircraft. We passed each other at the same altitude at a 90 degree angle approximately 50 ft apart. Santa flight engineer tower and ground were on the same frequency. The controller was extremely busy, as it had been for the previous 3 hours he had to divert his attention to giving IFR clrncs, ground control, approaching and departing aircraft. Santa flight engineer needs extra personnel to man separate frequencys to maintain a safe environment near this congested airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC IN TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: DURING COMMERCIAL FLT PRACTICAL EXAM, FAA DESIGNATED EXAMINER WAS EVALUATING MY PERFORMANCE IN FIRST LNDG ON THE EXAM. WE ADVISED SANTA FE TWR WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON L DOWNWIND TO RWY 20 AND WERE CLRED TO LAND. I HEARD TWR CLR A TWIN COMANCHE TO DEPART RWY 2 AND CLB ON COURSE. NEITHER THE EXAMINER NOR I HEARD A TA FOR EITHER ACFT. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, I OBSERVED THE COMANCHE ON AN INTERCEPT COURSE AT OUR ALT. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE ACFT. WE PASSED EACH OTHER AT THE SAME ALT AT A 90 DEG ANGLE APPROX 50 FT APART. SANTA FE TWR AND GND WERE ON THE SAME FREQ. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, AS IT HAD BEEN FOR THE PREVIOUS 3 HRS HE HAD TO DIVERT HIS ATTN TO GIVING IFR CLRNCS, GND CTL, APCHING AND DEPARTING ACFT. SANTA FE NEEDS EXTRA PERSONNEL TO MAN SEPARATE FREQS TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT NEAR THIS CONGESTED ARPT.

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.