Date: 201406
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: PAO.Airport, CA
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Operator: Corporate
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Traffic Watch
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class D PAO
ATC / advisory: Tower PAO
Second aircraft: Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Reporter organization: Corporate
Reporter function: Single Pilot; Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Human factors: Confusion; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: I was the pilot of an aircraft flying along US-101 Southbound to the Dumbarton Auto Bridge Eastbound at 1;500 feet. Next to the bridge is [a company's] headquarters campus; where a Cessna was making multiple circles over and through the traffic watch corridors. This pilot constantly flew under my aircraft within 100-200 feet without any regard for avoiding a collision. I was forced to climb 200 feet just to clear him multiple times; since he was also at 1;500 feet. When turning from US-101 South to the Dumbarton Bridge; I was forced to widen my turn and fly closer to the Palo Alto Airport in order to avoid a collision. This is when a near miss collision with another aircraft occurred; and the basis of this report. Another aircraft departing from Palo Alto made a left crosswind departure at the Dumbarton Bridge. This wasn't visually noticed since I was trying to avoid a collision with the aircraft making wide turns over [the company headquarters].  Palo Alto Tower called out traffic at 1 o'clock in the upwind; which I said I had in sight. However; I had called the upwind traffic that just took off. The Tower was talking about a different aircraft. He then told the twin aircraft about me. This is the second where we both made visual contact with each other. His position was masked by my nose; but there should have been no excuse for him not to see me. He was a low wing aircraft that should have cleared seen my position against the overcast cloud layer and with my landing lights on. We were near head on collision course with a slight left offset. We both turned to the left; with me at a 30-45 degree instant bank angle. That pilot should have listened for my route; since I said it to the Tower only 2 minutes prior. Palo Alto Tower should have told the twin aircraft to stop his climb and level off at 1000 feet; which would have prevented our collision course. Palo Alto Tower also should have told the twin about me before he told me about him; which would have also caused the pilot time to think and stop his climb. Palo Alto Tower also did not tell any other pilot about the aircraft circling the campus; which was dangerously close to our route; and would have been a factor for the twin as well. Overall; I felt that the Controller at Palo Alto Tower failed to provide the separation to our aircraft within his airspace; and that both other aircraft pilots had no regard for scanning for traffic and demanded that other aircraft get of their way.




Synopsis: Pilot reports of a NMAC while avoiding another aircraft that is also close to him.