Narrative:

On approach to dpa from the west, first report to tower was at the 'covered race track' 10 mi from the airport. Tower instructions were to report the fox river for a left downwind to runway 33. Report made at the river with no response from tower. Second report made 'inside the river' with reply from tower and explanation that controller had been on the phone with chicago, and with confirmation of clearance to land on runway 33, left downwind. On downwind. Near head-on collision with high wing cessna retractable gear aircraft climbing on takeoff. I veered to the right and climbed from pattern altitude, he veered right as well. On query from other pilot, controller verified he was talking to both aircraft and had thought I was on base as he went for a cup of coffee. Estimated distance between aircraft at closest point was approximately 75 ft, both vertically and horizontally. Review of control tower recordings with supervisor revealed cessna was departing from runway 28. The supervisor's review of the tower audio tape showed the initial tower instruction and my confirmation, to have been to report at the river and to enter a left base leg for runway 33. This differs from my recollection of clearance for left downwind for runway 33, after reporting the river. My first and follow-up reports at and after the river were confirmed on tape, as well as controller's explanation for missing the first call (at the river). The controller reported that he had lost visual sight of my airplane because of 'severe clear' sky conditions. Controller also reported that my return 'disappeared from radar' inside the river and close to the airport, but there was no follow-up at the time. The other pilot reported to the tower supervisor his perception from the ground prior to his departure from runway 28, that I appeared to be coming in from the west to set up to land on runway 10.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 ENTERING TFC PATTERN AT DPA EXPERIENCED NMAC WITH DEP AT 1500 FT.

Narrative: ON APCH TO DPA FROM THE W, FIRST RPT TO TWR WAS AT THE 'COVERED RACE TRACK' 10 MI FROM THE ARPT. TWR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO RPT THE FOX RIVER FOR A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 33. RPT MADE AT THE RIVER WITH NO RESPONSE FROM TWR. SECOND RPT MADE 'INSIDE THE RIVER' WITH REPLY FROM TWR AND EXPLANATION THAT CTLR HAD BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH CHICAGO, AND WITH CONFIRMATION OF CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 33, L DOWNWIND. ON DOWNWIND. NEAR HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH HIGH WING CESSNA RETRACTABLE GEAR ACFT CLBING ON TKOF. I VEERED TO THE R AND CLBED FROM PATTERN ALT, HE VEERED R AS WELL. ON QUERY FROM OTHER PLT, CTLR VERIFIED HE WAS TALKING TO BOTH ACFT AND HAD THOUGHT I WAS ON BASE AS HE WENT FOR A CUP OF COFFEE. ESTIMATED DISTANCE BTWN ACFT AT CLOSEST POINT WAS APPROX 75 FT, BOTH VERTLY AND HORIZLY. REVIEW OF CTL TWR RECORDINGS WITH SUPVR REVEALED CESSNA WAS DEPARTING FROM RWY 28. THE SUPVR'S REVIEW OF THE TWR AUDIO TAPE SHOWED THE INITIAL TWR INSTRUCTION AND MY CONFIRMATION, TO HAVE BEEN TO RPT AT THE RIVER AND TO ENTER A L BASE LEG FOR RWY 33. THIS DIFFERS FROM MY RECOLLECTION OF CLRNC FOR L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 33, AFTER RPTING THE RIVER. MY FIRST AND FOLLOW-UP RPTS AT AND AFTER THE RIVER WERE CONFIRMED ON TAPE, AS WELL AS CTLR'S EXPLANATION FOR MISSING THE FIRST CALL (AT THE RIVER). THE CTLR RPTED THAT HE HAD LOST VISUAL SIGHT OF MY AIRPLANE BECAUSE OF 'SEVERE CLR' SKY CONDITIONS. CTLR ALSO RPTED THAT MY RETURN 'DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR' INSIDE THE RIVER AND CLOSE TO THE ARPT, BUT THERE WAS NO FOLLOW-UP AT THE TIME. THE OTHER PLT RPTED TO THE TWR SUPVR HIS PERCEPTION FROM THE GND PRIOR TO HIS DEP FROM RWY 28, THAT I APPEARED TO BE COMING IN FROM THE W TO SET UP TO LAND ON RWY 10.

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.