AC14 and an unknown aircraft had less than standard separation on departure at vny.

Attributes
ACN	454830
Time
Date	199911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny.airport
State Reference	AB
Altitude	msl single value : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vny.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commander 114
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : vny.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commander 114
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 135
ASRS Report	454830
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

When we were out near palmdale, joshua approach called and said I should call the tower at van nuys, collect. I decided to head back to smo. I put the plane away, called several times to the vny tower, and didn't get an answer. I drove my passenger back to vny. He was parked next to the tower, and I called the tower. The supervisor came down, and I asked 'what did I do wrong?' he said, 'you didn't do anything wrong.' it turns out the controller had released an IFR departure (heading of 210 degrees) directly into the routing he gave me, and there was an near midair collision. Because the xmissions were blocked, I didn't get a warning. The pilot of the other plane called it, then decided not to file a report. The supervisor seemed to want me not to file either -- too much paperwork, and I suspect a 'deal' that would put the controller into a lot of trouble. Fortunately there was no collision. The controller should never have released the other aircraft until he knew I was clear of the departure airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AC14 AND AN UNKNOWN ACFT HAD LTSS ON DEP AT VNY.

Narrative: WHEN WE WERE OUT NEAR PALMDALE, JOSHUA APCH CALLED AND SAID I SHOULD CALL THE TWR AT VAN NUYS, COLLECT. I DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO SMO. I PUT THE PLANE AWAY, CALLED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE VNY TWR, AND DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER. I DROVE MY PAX BACK TO VNY. HE WAS PARKED NEXT TO THE TWR, AND I CALLED THE TWR. THE SUPVR CAME DOWN, AND I ASKED 'WHAT DID I DO WRONG?' HE SAID, 'YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.' IT TURNS OUT THE CTLR HAD RELEASED AN IFR DEP (HDG OF 210 DEGS) DIRECTLY INTO THE ROUTING HE GAVE ME, AND THERE WAS AN NMAC. BECAUSE THE XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED, I DIDN'T GET A WARNING. THE PLT OF THE OTHER PLANE CALLED IT, THEN DECIDED NOT TO FILE A RPT. THE SUPVR SEEMED TO WANT ME NOT TO FILE EITHER -- TOO MUCH PAPERWORK, AND I SUSPECT A 'DEAL' THAT WOULD PUT THE CTLR INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO COLLISION. THE CTLR SHOULD NEVER HAVE RELEASED THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL HE KNEW I WAS CLR OF THE DEP AIRSPACE.

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.