On climbout small aircraft had near midair collision with tow plane and glider.

Attributes
ACN	88327
Time
Date	198806
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 501 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	88327
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was climbing through sunol pass. I had my aircraft trimmed to climb at approximately 100 KTS and 500 FPM. I had completed a scan, then I was looking at a chart to get the VOR frequency for the sacramento VOR. When I looked up I saw a glider tow plane climbing to my right and a glider moving to my left. I dove to my right. This potentially bad situation I consider to be my fault. I usually look up all needed frequencys before I taxi. However, this time I was an hour late and decided to look up frequencys when airborne--never again. I hope I did not cause the glider pilot any problems. I could have caused an otherwise normal flight to be a disaster for a minimum of 2 other innocent pilots besides myself. This brings forcibly to mind what my first flight instrument told me--first aviate, second navigate and thirdly communicate. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter feels the tow plane pilot saved the situation by separating from glider and executing evasive action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON CLIMBOUT SMA HAD NMAC WITH TOW PLANE AND GLIDER.

Narrative: I WAS CLBING THROUGH SUNOL PASS. I HAD MY ACFT TRIMMED TO CLB AT APPROX 100 KTS AND 500 FPM. I HAD COMPLETED A SCAN, THEN I WAS LOOKING AT A CHART TO GET THE VOR FREQ FOR THE SACRAMENTO VOR. WHEN I LOOKED UP I SAW A GLIDER TOW PLANE CLBING TO MY RIGHT AND A GLIDER MOVING TO MY LEFT. I DOVE TO MY RIGHT. THIS POTENTIALLY BAD SITUATION I CONSIDER TO BE MY FAULT. I USUALLY LOOK UP ALL NEEDED FREQS BEFORE I TAXI. HOWEVER, THIS TIME I WAS AN HR LATE AND DECIDED TO LOOK UP FREQS WHEN AIRBORNE--NEVER AGAIN. I HOPE I DID NOT CAUSE THE GLIDER PLT ANY PROBS. I COULD HAVE CAUSED AN OTHERWISE NORMAL FLT TO BE A DISASTER FOR A MINIMUM OF 2 OTHER INNOCENT PLTS BESIDES MYSELF. THIS BRINGS FORCIBLY TO MIND WHAT MY FIRST FLT INSTR TOLD ME--FIRST AVIATE, SECOND NAVIGATE AND THIRDLY COMMUNICATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR FEELS THE TOW PLANE PLT SAVED THE SITUATION BY SEPARATING FROM GLIDER AND EXECUTING EVASIVE ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.