Narrative:

Sbp-lax obtained IFR clearance with a VFR climb direct san marcus VOR then as filed. Departed normally with first officer flying aircraft. We turned downwind, eastbound and contacted ZLA 119.05. After establishing contact with center and climbing eastbound into the sun, the controller advised traffic 12 O'clock, opp direction descending from 5000', less than 1 mi. As we were climbing through 4300' my first officer leveled off at 4500' and I asked the controller for a vector. Remember, at 12 O'clock we were looking directly at a very bright morning sun and visibility was low. The controller advised a right turn heading 160 degrees. Then the controller directed the other aircraft to remain at 5000'. This was when we realized ATC was in contact with both aircraft. We concentrated our attention through the center windshield ahead as the first officer began a right turn. My first officer looked right as a matter of habit and pulled up just in time to miss the other aircraft which passed directly under us at 4500'. I did not see the other plane which was out of my field of vision on the right side but my first officer stated that we would have collided west/O his maneuver. On our heading of 090 degrees the other plane was at 3 O'clock, not 12 O'clock. The controller's assigned vector of 160 degrees aimed us directly at the traffic which had already descended to 4500'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER-LTT GA-SMA.

Narrative: SBP-LAX OBTAINED IFR CLRNC WITH A VFR CLB DIRECT SAN MARCUS VOR THEN AS FILED. DEPARTED NORMALLY WITH F/O FLYING ACFT. WE TURNED DOWNWIND, EBND AND CONTACTED ZLA 119.05. AFTER ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH CENTER AND CLBING EBND INTO THE SUN, THE CTLR ADVISED TFC 12 O'CLOCK, OPP DIRECTION DSNDING FROM 5000', LESS THAN 1 MI. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 4300' MY F/O LEVELED OFF AT 4500' AND I ASKED THE CTLR FOR A VECTOR. REMEMBER, AT 12 O'CLOCK WE WERE LOOKING DIRECTLY AT A VERY BRIGHT MORNING SUN AND VISIBILITY WAS LOW. THE CTLR ADVISED A RIGHT TURN HDG 160 DEGS. THEN THE CTLR DIRECTED THE OTHER ACFT TO REMAIN AT 5000'. THIS WAS WHEN WE REALIZED ATC WAS IN CONTACT WITH BOTH ACFT. WE CONCENTRATED OUR ATTN THROUGH THE CENTER WINDSHIELD AHEAD AS THE F/O BEGAN A RIGHT TURN. MY F/O LOOKED RIGHT AS A MATTER OF HABIT AND PULLED UP JUST IN TIME TO MISS THE OTHER ACFT WHICH PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER US AT 4500'. I DID NOT SEE THE OTHER PLANE WHICH WAS OUT OF MY FIELD OF VISION ON THE RIGHT SIDE BUT MY F/O STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE COLLIDED W/O HIS MANEUVER. ON OUR HDG OF 090 DEGS THE OTHER PLANE WAS AT 3 O'CLOCK, NOT 12 O'CLOCK. THE CTLR'S ASSIGNED VECTOR OF 160 DEGS AIMED US DIRECTLY AT THE TFC WHICH HAD ALREADY DSNDED TO 4500'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.