Narrative:

I was cleared into position on runway 17. I overheard a cessna tell cwa tower that he was 5 mi southeast at 3000 ft. Tower cleared me for takeoff; left turn on course (125 degrees). My IFR clearance was 'as filed (direct kooky; mkg; azo); maintain 4000 ft; expect 9000 ft 10 mins after departure; contact ZMP on 124.4....' after takeoff; I turned left to 125 degrees and was advised to contact ZMP. As I climbed out; I suddenly saw the cessna passing just above and behind my left wing. I was at 2900 ft and climbing. Had I started my takeoff roll 5 or 10 seconds earlier; we would have collided. I went back to the tower frequency and reported the near midair collision. The cessna pilot also told the tower he had seen me passing behind him; too late for any evasive action. I then heard the tower controller attempting to clarify the cessna's position on the earlier call. The controller said he had thought the cessna was '5 mi south' but the cessna pilot maintained he reported '5 mi southeast.' in retrospect; I should have questioned the controller about a possible traffic conflict before accepting the takeoff clearance. It should be noted that cwa tower does not have radar and center radar does not extend below 4000 ft in this area. ZMP was not talking to the cessna; was not aware of the near midair collision; and I reported it only to cwa tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE35 DEPARTING IFR FROM CWA IN A NO RADAR ENVIRONMENT HAS NMAC WITH AN INBOUND C172.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED INTO POS ON RWY 17. I OVERHEARD A CESSNA TELL CWA TWR THAT HE WAS 5 MI SE AT 3000 FT. TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF; L TURN ON COURSE (125 DEGS). MY IFR CLRNC WAS 'AS FILED (DIRECT KOOKY; MKG; AZO); MAINTAIN 4000 FT; EXPECT 9000 FT 10 MINS AFTER DEP; CONTACT ZMP ON 124.4....' AFTER TKOF; I TURNED L TO 125 DEGS AND WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT ZMP. AS I CLBED OUT; I SUDDENLY SAW THE CESSNA PASSING JUST ABOVE AND BEHIND MY L WING. I WAS AT 2900 FT AND CLBING. HAD I STARTED MY TKOF ROLL 5 OR 10 SECONDS EARLIER; WE WOULD HAVE COLLIDED. I WENT BACK TO THE TWR FREQ AND RPTED THE NMAC. THE CESSNA PLT ALSO TOLD THE TWR HE HAD SEEN ME PASSING BEHIND HIM; TOO LATE FOR ANY EVASIVE ACTION. I THEN HEARD THE TWR CTLR ATTEMPTING TO CLARIFY THE CESSNA'S POS ON THE EARLIER CALL. THE CTLR SAID HE HAD THOUGHT THE CESSNA WAS '5 MI S' BUT THE CESSNA PLT MAINTAINED HE RPTED '5 MI SE.' IN RETROSPECT; I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CTLR ABOUT A POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT BEFORE ACCEPTING THE TKOF CLRNC. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT CWA TWR DOES NOT HAVE RADAR AND CTR RADAR DOES NOT EXTEND BELOW 4000 FT IN THIS AREA. ZMP WAS NOT TALKING TO THE CESSNA; WAS NOT AWARE OF THE NMAC; AND I RPTED IT ONLY TO CWA TWR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.