Super King Air 350
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 5500; Flight Crew Type 2000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Human Factors
SNA Ground directed us to taxi to Runway 19R via Alpha; Hotel; Charlie and to hold short of Lima on Charlie. I proceeded to taxi out of the FBO ramp and northbound on taxiway Alpha and a left turn on Hotel. As I came out of the right turn on to Taxiway Charlie; I immediately realized that a departing Cessna; departing Runway 19L; was heading directly at us. The aircraft passed over us vertically by ten feet. I did not see the liftoff point for the aircraft but based on where we were on the taxiway he started his turn around or slightly after Taxiway Juliet. When I say 10 FT over the top of us; that is from the cockpit of the aircraft; the tail of the aircraft is 15 FT above the ground so he could have cleared us much lower. I was unable to get a tail number from the aircraft due to the fact he was directly above us. Immediately realizing the severity of the situation I complained to the Ground Controller about the aircraft and told him what happened. The Controller stated that aircraft departing Runway 19L are not supposed to make any turns until they are at the end of the runway. The end of Runway 19L is at Taxiway Hotel so this aircraft was in clear violation of this by turning before the end of the runway. The Ground Controller did absolutely nothing to communicate with us that any action on their behalf would be done in communicating with the other aircraft who was talking on the Tower frequency.In my opinion; if the Tower Controller happened to communicate with the aircraft that an early turn out was authorized; we should have been given instructions to hold short of Taxiway Hotel on Taxiway Alpha before making the turn or continue down Taxiway Alpha and make the left turn on Juliet to join Taxiway Charlie. I don't think this is the case though. I think the controller did not want to have to do any paperwork on the matter after I complained to him about the incident. This is not reassuring that our ATC are doing their job fully which includes these types of problems. I have no doubt if I crossed a hold short line for a runway that caused something that I would be making a phone call and getting calls from the FSDO on this matter.This loss of separation; near miss; taxiway incursion was in my opinion the departing Cessna's pilot fault by turning too early. Taxiway Charlie parallels Runway 1R/19L and Taxiway Alpha; being in the middle of the two. Taxiway Charlie is too close for any aircraft to be making early turns with aircraft on this taxiway. Unknown to me is if an instructor was on the aircraft or not. I had no control over the situation because I could not see the departing aircraft as I was on Taxiway Hotel; Taxiway Charlie was clear. I had no time to react to the situation; even if it meant that I took the aircraft off the taxiway to save our lives.The inaction of ATC to provide us a phone number to me and to the departing aircraft is not right. This could have been an aircraft accident that could have killed all of us onboard both aircraft and I don't take it lightly. The departing aircraft clearly violated FAR's and nothing was done by ATC about it.Here is what I think should be mandatory in the VFR departure clearance readback to all pilots for this specific airport on that runway. Assign them the runway in the clearance if 19L is going to be used and clearly state that if a turn to the southwest or traffic pattern is in the clearance that the turn to that heading/crosswind be made at or beyond the end of the runway in the clearance. This clearance makes it clear what is expected of the pilot and to only deviate as directed by an ATC clearance. Loss of human life in unacceptable for something to change.
The Captain of a Super King Air departing SNA; taxiing northbound on C and just short of J; was buzzed by a single engine Cessna taking off from Runway 19L making a premature left turn out passing just feet above the King Air.