Narrative:

I taxied to runway 17R; following a C172 a ways in front of me. Apa airport was not particularly busy at the time. Runway 17L was closed for repaving; and taxi to runway 17R was required (not a normal operation at apa). I was told to taxi to the hold line; and monitor tower. The aircraft in front of me was cleared for takeoff; and apparently planned to do pattern work. He was told to stay in pattern and 'make closed traffic.' shortly after arriving at the hold line; I was instructed to 'taxi into position and hold.' aircraft Y had just taken off 1 min or so earlier. Another min or so passed; and I was cleared for takeoff. Prior to taxi; I had requested a northwest departure from ground control. Along with the takeoff clearance; the tower also cleared me for a northwest departure with 'northwest departure approved.' however; the controller also gave me an instruction to 'fly clear of the pattern.' I was unclr what he actually meant with that last instruction; and should have asked for clarification; but I took it to mean 'exit pattern when able; and depart northwest.' I took off from runway 17R using the standard takeoff procedure for the C182. I turned crosswind at normal pattern distance and altitude; which I later verified from my GPS recorded track. Apparently; aircraft Y had flown an extended pattern; possibly because of the high density altitude that day and the relatively low performance of the C172. I essentially overflew aircraft Y -- him on downwind and me on crosswind. I was very shocked to see him off of my left wing -- I thought he would be well in front of me in the pattern; and no factor. The controller noticed shortly after the near miss (less than 200 ft horizontal and less than 100 ft vertical); and complained that I didn't follow his instructions. To be honest; I still don't understand the instruction to 'fly clear of the pattern.' it seems very ambiguous; and did not adequately convey what the controller really wanted. In retrospect; I believe he wanted me to continue flying upwind for another mi (or more?) before turning west; instead of just turning a standard crosswind. I would far prefer the instruction 'fly runway heading; I'll call your turn.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAS AN NMAC AT APA.

Narrative: I TAXIED TO RWY 17R; FOLLOWING A C172 A WAYS IN FRONT OF ME. APA ARPT WAS NOT PARTICULARLY BUSY AT THE TIME. RWY 17L WAS CLOSED FOR REPAVING; AND TAXI TO RWY 17R WAS REQUIRED (NOT A NORMAL OP AT APA). I WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO THE HOLD LINE; AND MONITOR TWR. THE ACFT IN FRONT OF ME WAS CLRED FOR TKOF; AND APPARENTLY PLANNED TO DO PATTERN WORK. HE WAS TOLD TO STAY IN PATTERN AND 'MAKE CLOSED TFC.' SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING AT THE HOLD LINE; I WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD.' ACFT Y HAD JUST TAKEN OFF 1 MIN OR SO EARLIER. ANOTHER MIN OR SO PASSED; AND I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. PRIOR TO TAXI; I HAD REQUESTED A NW DEP FROM GND CTL. ALONG WITH THE TKOF CLRNC; THE TWR ALSO CLRED ME FOR A NW DEP WITH 'NW DEP APPROVED.' HOWEVER; THE CTLR ALSO GAVE ME AN INSTRUCTION TO 'FLY CLR OF THE PATTERN.' I WAS UNCLR WHAT HE ACTUALLY MEANT WITH THAT LAST INSTRUCTION; AND SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION; BUT I TOOK IT TO MEAN 'EXIT PATTERN WHEN ABLE; AND DEPART NW.' I TOOK OFF FROM RWY 17R USING THE STANDARD TKOF PROC FOR THE C182. I TURNED XWIND AT NORMAL PATTERN DISTANCE AND ALT; WHICH I LATER VERIFIED FROM MY GPS RECORDED TRACK. APPARENTLY; ACFT Y HAD FLOWN AN EXTENDED PATTERN; POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DENSITY ALT THAT DAY AND THE RELATIVELY LOW PERFORMANCE OF THE C172. I ESSENTIALLY OVERFLEW ACFT Y -- HIM ON DOWNWIND AND ME ON XWIND. I WAS VERY SHOCKED TO SEE HIM OFF OF MY L WING -- I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE WELL IN FRONT OF ME IN THE PATTERN; AND NO FACTOR. THE CTLR NOTICED SHORTLY AFTER THE NEAR MISS (LESS THAN 200 FT HORIZ AND LESS THAN 100 FT VERT); AND COMPLAINED THAT I DIDN'T FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS. TO BE HONEST; I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTION TO 'FLY CLR OF THE PATTERN.' IT SEEMS VERY AMBIGUOUS; AND DID NOT ADEQUATELY CONVEY WHAT THE CTLR REALLY WANTED. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE HE WANTED ME TO CONTINUE FLYING UPWIND FOR ANOTHER MI (OR MORE?) BEFORE TURNING W; INSTEAD OF JUST TURNING A STANDARD XWIND. I WOULD FAR PREFER THE INSTRUCTION 'FLY RWY HDG; I'LL CALL YOUR TURN.'

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.