PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga/6X
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Glider
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 7285; Flight Crew Type 300
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Human Factors
Near mid-air collision at the approach end ZZZ. It was almost a perfect storm that could have put us in a nearly unavoidable accident had the timing been a few seconds different. I was number one on final (RNAV Approach; VFR conditions; approximately 1/4 mile from threshold; visual landing) ahead of Aircraft Y on a survey mission landing for gas. The other aircraft was a Airtractor crop duster operating from a semi-trailer full of chemicals parked on the ramp. The pilot reported that his radio was marginal; but they had no replacement. His ground crew reported that he was using a hand-held radio. He made no calls before getting to the runway; and may not have even had the radio on until taking the runway. He certainly wasn't listening to it. He says he made a call taking the runway; but the FBO said it was more like a call after he was on the runway and rolling; and I didn't hear it or recognize it as there were also two aircraft operating same runway alignment; same frequency. I believe he took off from the midfield intersection just short of the midpoint of the 6307 ft. runway opposite direction to the one with two aircraft on final who had been making multiple position reports on CTAF. Winds were being called as calm until I was on three-mile final when they went to about 9 kts. crosswind. He obviously didn't visually clear the final approach course as he took the runway because I had all lights on (three strobes and three landing/taxi lights) and would have been quite visible had he looked.He was likely concentrating on centerline (tailwheel aircraft with a crosswind); and I was concentrating on the aim point on short final (end of the runway) so I could turn off at midfield with Aircraft Y behind me. When I was about ¼ mile on final; he came into my field of view just above the pavement less than 1000 ft. from the end of the runway. I went around and broke right; but he didn't deviate before he passed out of my view under my wing as I banked away. We passed abeam one another just south of the approach end of Runway XX. I doubt he saw me before I was wing-up passing him on his left.
PA-32 Pilot reported an NMAC on short final with a crop duster departing opposite direction.