C172 pilot and a C172 had less than comfortable separation in pwk class D.

Attributes
ACN	589426
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pwk.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pwk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : holding
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : pwk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 11300 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	589426
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Sight-seeing flight operating at 2000 ft MSL orbiting a college campus. I had contacted the ATC tower at palwaukee airport to request operation in their northeast quadrant of class D airspace, 4-5 NM from the airport. Tower issued a TA to me of an aircraft to my southeast moving north. My passenger were asking questions at this time and I may not have registered all of the advisory information, but I responded 'looking' and I kept a scan for traffic. I also turned on my landing light to help us be more visible. I was circling in a right hand turn and upon rollout to east heading I called tower to report that I was clearing to the east and departing the area. I then spotted the other aircraft perpendicular my right side on a collision course. I turned slightly left and climbed as he then turned slightly to his left. Then tower called the traffic in my area. I responded that he was in sight. High wing, passenger in sight-line and distraction by passenger were factors. Ultimately see and avoid worked, but I should have spotted it sooner. Also tower issued the last advisory too late, after we avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT AND A C172 HAD LESS THAN COMFORTABLE SEPARATION IN PWK CLASS D.

Narrative: SIGHT-SEEING FLT OPERATING AT 2000 FT MSL ORBITING A COLLEGE CAMPUS. I HAD CONTACTED THE ATC TWR AT PALWAUKEE ARPT TO REQUEST OP IN THEIR NE QUADRANT OF CLASS D AIRSPACE, 4-5 NM FROM THE ARPT. TWR ISSUED A TA TO ME OF AN ACFT TO MY SE MOVING N. MY PAX WERE ASKING QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME AND I MAY NOT HAVE REGISTERED ALL OF THE ADVISORY INFO, BUT I RESPONDED 'LOOKING' AND I KEPT A SCAN FOR TFC. I ALSO TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT TO HELP US BE MORE VISIBLE. I WAS CIRCLING IN A R HAND TURN AND UPON ROLLOUT TO E HEADING I CALLED TWR TO RPT THAT I WAS CLRING TO THE E AND DEPARTING THE AREA. I THEN SPOTTED THE OTHER ACFT PERPENDICULAR MY R SIDE ON A COLLISION COURSE. I TURNED SLIGHTLY L AND CLBED AS HE THEN TURNED SLIGHTLY TO HIS L. THEN TWR CALLED THE TFC IN MY AREA. I RESPONDED THAT HE WAS IN SIGHT. HIGH WING, PAX IN SIGHT-LINE AND DISTR BY PAX WERE FACTORS. ULTIMATELY SEE AND AVOID WORKED, BUT I SHOULD HAVE SPOTTED IT SOONER. ALSO TWR ISSUED THE LAST ADVISORY TOO LATE, AFTER WE AVOIDED.

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.