Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 223; Flight Crew Total 628; Flight Crew Type 200
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Human Factors
While inbound from our training flight; tower instructed us to enter the right downwind to 30. There was a Beechcraft taking off runway 30 and departing to the Northwest. About a mile before turning into the downwind the Beechcraft was cleared for takeoff to the northwest. The Beechcraft made an early right (before the departure end of runway 12) turn to the north and continued to climb. This maneuver put the Beechcraft into our blind spot due to the location of the cowling. We continued in the downwind and crossed right in front of us (75-100 feet below and 200 feet horizontal). Student saw the aircraft before I did and turned right and descended to avoid.
A C172 Flight Instructor reported a near-mid-air-collision with a departing aircraft that made an early turn after takeoff and was hidden from view by the aircraft cowling.