C172 pilot on flight following has near midair collision with aircraft apparently departing the same...

Attributes
ACN	339567
Time
Date	199606
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna tracon : sdf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 300 flight time type : 290
ASRS Report	339567
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Having requested flight following in our initial pre-taxi class C departure clearance, we took off VFR from sna on an assigned heading of 220 degrees. The tower handed us off to their radar advisory position (128.35), which then handed us off to socal approach (124.65) for further advisories. Shortly after checking in, we saw the other aircraft fly in front of us, from our right rear to left front, slightly higher, and much too close for comfort. He came into our field of vision and was past us before there was any time to take evasive action. A few seconds later, we were instructed to 'resume own navigation' to smo. After acknowledging the instructions, I remarked to the controller that 'the other aircraft had come mighty close to us.' my remark was not acknowledged. I assume that while on our 220 degree heading, the other aircraft must have departed sna on a similar heading, and was behind and overtaking us. We did not hear that he had us in sight, nor was he pointed out to us by any of the ATC facs we were communicating with.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT ON FLT FOLLOWING HAS NMAC WITH ACFT APPARENTLY DEPARTING THE SAME ARPT. NO EVASIVE ACTION -- NO TIME.

Narrative: HAVING REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING IN OUR INITIAL PRE-TAXI CLASS C DEP CLRNC, WE TOOK OFF VFR FROM SNA ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 220 DEGS. THE TWR HANDED US OFF TO THEIR RADAR ADVISORY POS (128.35), WHICH THEN HANDED US OFF TO SOCAL APCH (124.65) FOR FURTHER ADVISORIES. SHORTLY AFTER CHKING IN, WE SAW THE OTHER ACFT FLY IN FRONT OF US, FROM OUR R REAR TO L FRONT, SLIGHTLY HIGHER, AND MUCH TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. HE CAME INTO OUR FIELD OF VISION AND WAS PAST US BEFORE THERE WAS ANY TIME TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. A FEW SECONDS LATER, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO 'RESUME OWN NAV' TO SMO. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING THE INSTRUCTIONS, I REMARKED TO THE CTLR THAT 'THE OTHER ACFT HAD COME MIGHTY CLOSE TO US.' MY REMARK WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED. I ASSUME THAT WHILE ON OUR 220 DEG HDG, THE OTHER ACFT MUST HAVE DEPARTED SNA ON A SIMILAR HDG, AND WAS BEHIND AND OVERTAKING US. WE DID NOT HEAR THAT HE HAD US IN SIGHT, NOR WAS HE POINTED OUT TO US BY ANY OF THE ATC FACS WE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH.

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.

C172 pilot on flight following has near midair collision with aircraft apparently departing the same airport. No evasive action -- no time.