Narrative:

I received taxi instructions to runway 11. After run-up and preflight check, I switched frequency. A DH8 was on a 5 mi right base runway 29. I waited for him to land and after he cleared, I requested takeoff with a right turn. Received taxi to hold short runway 11 for wake turbulence. I waved and received takeoff clearance. As I rolled onto runway and applied power, a bonanza reported 3 mi final runway 29 (opposite runway, head on). Tower advised immediate takeoff. I advised that I was rolling as I turned right crosswind. Another aircraft reported left downwind runway 29 (converging toward me from above and left). By itself, the bonanza was not a factor. The third aircraft was a factor. Neither aircraft were in advisories to me. The first point I want to make is that of this controller's incompetence. He is constantly forcing people to do 360 degrees for spacing, missing call signs or radio calls altogether, and demonstrates a general unprofessional demeanor. Just in 1 week, he was the target of 3 complaints. None of the other controllers in this facility earn that reputation. I have students that will actually cancel a flight or lesson if mr X is in the tower. The second point is the personal aspect. I have met with the tower chief several times regarding mr X in my capacity as aviation safety counselor. These meetings have been prompted by personal observation and complaints by other pilots. I suspect he sent me to the wrong end of the runway or lined 3 aircraft up going the opposite direction to get even. Incompetence is unquestionable. A personal vendetta is arguable. Neither should be tolerated. Nor is there room for either in aviation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has not heard anything directly regarding this incident. He has heard from other controllers in the tower that mr X wrote a report on the incident in which he rather abruptly changed the scenario so that the problem seemed to be with the reporter rather than the controller. This has created a great deal of 'heat' for the controller since he has a reputation for being a problem controller. Reporter had talked to the tower chief prior to this incident, and the chief indicated mr X is a problem in the tower. Other controllers have stated they just wish he would retire. He is apparently eligible to do so. He has been a controller for a good many years and can be quite capable, but seems to suffer from burn out. This tower has changed from FAA to a contract tower and the chief states that he can't do much about the situation unless he has documentation. Reporter states there is plenty of documentation. There were 3 people who witnessed the incident in question and confirm reporter's comments on the sequence of events. The reporter does not want the controller to lose his job in disgrace. He would agree that it would be best if he could just retire. Reporter was advised of the hotline number to use if he chooses.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR TURNS TFC ON XWIND WITH TFC ENTERING DOWNWIND OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: I RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 11. AFTER RUN-UP AND PREFLT CHK, I SWITCHED FREQ. A DH8 WAS ON A 5 MI R BASE RWY 29. I WAITED FOR HIM TO LAND AND AFTER HE CLRED, I REQUESTED TKOF WITH A R TURN. RECEIVED TAXI TO HOLD SHORT RWY 11 FOR WAKE TURB. I WAVED AND RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC. AS I ROLLED ONTO RWY AND APPLIED PWR, A BONANZA RPTED 3 MI FINAL RWY 29 (OPPOSITE RWY, HEAD ON). TWR ADVISED IMMEDIATE TKOF. I ADVISED THAT I WAS ROLLING AS I TURNED R XWIND. ANOTHER ACFT RPTED L DOWNWIND RWY 29 (CONVERGING TOWARD ME FROM ABOVE AND L). BY ITSELF, THE BONANZA WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE THIRD ACFT WAS A FACTOR. NEITHER ACFT WERE IN ADVISORIES TO ME. THE FIRST POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT OF THIS CTLR'S INCOMPETENCE. HE IS CONSTANTLY FORCING PEOPLE TO DO 360 DEGS FOR SPACING, MISSING CALL SIGNS OR RADIO CALLS ALTOGETHER, AND DEMONSTRATES A GENERAL UNPROFESSIONAL DEMEANOR. JUST IN 1 WK, HE WAS THE TARGET OF 3 COMPLAINTS. NONE OF THE OTHER CTLRS IN THIS FACILITY EARN THAT REPUTATION. I HAVE STUDENTS THAT WILL ACTUALLY CANCEL A FLT OR LESSON IF MR X IS IN THE TWR. THE SECOND POINT IS THE PERSONAL ASPECT. I HAVE MET WITH THE TWR CHIEF SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING MR X IN MY CAPACITY AS AVIATION SAFETY COUNSELOR. THESE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN PROMPTED BY PERSONAL OBSERVATION AND COMPLAINTS BY OTHER PLTS. I SUSPECT HE SENT ME TO THE WRONG END OF THE RWY OR LINED 3 ACFT UP GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO GET EVEN. INCOMPETENCE IS UNQUESTIONABLE. A PERSONAL VENDETTA IS ARGUABLE. NEITHER SHOULD BE TOLERATED. NOR IS THERE ROOM FOR EITHER IN AVIATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING DIRECTLY REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. HE HAS HEARD FROM OTHER CTLRS IN THE TWR THAT MR X WROTE A RPT ON THE INCIDENT IN WHICH HE RATHER ABRUPTLY CHANGED THE SCENARIO SO THAT THE PROB SEEMED TO BE WITH THE RPTR RATHER THAN THE CTLR. THIS HAS CREATED A GREAT DEAL OF 'HEAT' FOR THE CTLR SINCE HE HAS A REPUTATION FOR BEING A PROB CTLR. RPTR HAD TALKED TO THE TWR CHIEF PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AND THE CHIEF INDICATED MR X IS A PROB IN THE TWR. OTHER CTLRS HAVE STATED THEY JUST WISH HE WOULD RETIRE. HE IS APPARENTLY ELIGIBLE TO DO SO. HE HAS BEEN A CTLR FOR A GOOD MANY YEARS AND CAN BE QUITE CAPABLE, BUT SEEMS TO SUFFER FROM BURN OUT. THIS TWR HAS CHANGED FROM FAA TO A CONTRACT TWR AND THE CHIEF STATES THAT HE CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT THE SIT UNLESS HE HAS DOCUMENTATION. RPTR STATES THERE IS PLENTY OF DOCUMENTATION. THERE WERE 3 PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED THE INCIDENT IN QUESTION AND CONFIRM RPTR'S COMMENTS ON THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. THE RPTR DOES NOT WANT THE CTLR TO LOSE HIS JOB IN DISGRACE. HE WOULD AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF HE COULD JUST RETIRE. RPTR WAS ADVISED OF THE HOTLINE NUMBER TO USE IF HE CHOOSES.

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.