Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 5000; Flight Crew Type 2300
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Airport
Tower issued takeoff clearance with right downwind departure approved. Just after turning crosswind to downwind and climbing; a low wing airplane came from behind and right descending into the pattern. It came very close to our right wing tip. There was no call from the Tower about traffic and no way we could have seen a faster airplane from behind. Just as we saw the other aircraft; the Tower Controller said to the aircraft; 'oh there is another airplane in the pattern departing.' That call came way too late. In a see and be seen rule; we cannot figure how the other pilot did not see us off his nose or why the Tower did not issue a heads up call; but it happened. Deer Valley Airport is the busiest general aviation airport in the nation and extra vigilance on everyone's part is required. Because of the high volume of traffic at DVT; it would be helpful if the Tower could have primary radar system so they could have better information to separate traffic.
A pilot departing DVT on a right downwind departure reported a near miss with an arriving aircraft at 2;400 FT with no ATC alert until after the encounter.