Narrative:

Offshore we were cleared for the visibility approach to runway 12. Over the shoreline we were handed off to lgb tower and he cleared us to land. Downwind they advised us of small aircraft X traffic at 2 O'clock and 2 mi at 1000' MSL. We made several futile attempts to get more information on this small aircraft X. Awaiting further information I extended my downwind and maintained my altitude (1600' MSL). Lgb tower gave us an update on the small aircraft X. With this information I decided it was safe to start my base but not to descend. Lgb tower then called the small aircraft X traffic 'no longer a factor,' whereupon I spotted the small aircraft X almost directly (slightly to left) below us, head on, about 300-500' below us. At this point I was above the standard descent profile. As I initiated the descent, lgb tower called traffic at 1 O'clock, 1 mi, 1000' MSL wbound. I stopped my descent and simultaneously spotted the traffic. This small aircraft Y was disappearing under the right side of our nose, 200-400' below us. Again the closing angle was between 10-20 degrees. The final descent angle was much steeper than normal. This type of occurrence is common at lgb. So far I have written at least 2 NASA ASRS reports, a letter to lgb tower, several phone calls to lgb tower, with copies of most of this to the company, all west/O result. One phone call was particularly frustrating. The tower manager basically told me, 'tough, what we're doing is legal (which I doubt) and we're not going to change.' ps: I'm also filing a NASA ASRS report and writing a letter addressed to lgb FAA FSDO. Copies of all documents are being sent to: flight operations, lgb tower, lgb FAA FSDO and NASA ASRS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-LTT 2 GA-SMA ACFT IN LGB ATA.

Narrative: OFFSHORE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH TO RWY 12. OVER THE SHORELINE WE WERE HANDED OFF TO LGB TWR AND HE CLRED US TO LAND. DOWNWIND THEY ADVISED US OF SMA X TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI AT 1000' MSL. WE MADE SEVERAL FUTILE ATTEMPTS TO GET MORE INFO ON THIS SMA X. AWAITING FURTHER INFO I EXTENDED MY DOWNWIND AND MAINTAINED MY ALT (1600' MSL). LGB TWR GAVE US AN UPDATE ON THE SMA X. WITH THIS INFO I DECIDED IT WAS SAFE TO START MY BASE BUT NOT TO DSND. LGB TWR THEN CALLED THE SMA X TFC 'NO LONGER A FACTOR,' WHEREUPON I SPOTTED THE SMA X ALMOST DIRECTLY (SLIGHTLY TO LEFT) BELOW US, HEAD ON, ABOUT 300-500' BELOW US. AT THIS POINT I WAS ABOVE THE STANDARD DSCNT PROFILE. AS I INITIATED THE DSCNT, LGB TWR CALLED TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK, 1 MI, 1000' MSL WBOUND. I STOPPED MY DSCNT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SPOTTED THE TFC. THIS SMA Y WAS DISAPPEARING UNDER THE RIGHT SIDE OF OUR NOSE, 200-400' BELOW US. AGAIN THE CLOSING ANGLE WAS BTWN 10-20 DEGS. THE FINAL DSCNT ANGLE WAS MUCH STEEPER THAN NORMAL. THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE IS COMMON AT LGB. SO FAR I HAVE WRITTEN AT LEAST 2 NASA ASRS RPTS, A LETTER TO LGB TWR, SEVERAL PHONE CALLS TO LGB TWR, WITH COPIES OF MOST OF THIS TO THE COMPANY, ALL W/O RESULT. ONE PHONE CALL WAS PARTICULARLY FRUSTRATING. THE TWR MGR BASICALLY TOLD ME, 'TOUGH, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS LEGAL (WHICH I DOUBT) AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE.' PS: I'M ALSO FILING A NASA ASRS RPT AND WRITING A LETTER ADDRESSED TO LGB FAA FSDO. COPIES OF ALL DOCUMENTS ARE BEING SENT TO: FLT OPS, LGB TWR, LGB FAA FSDO AND NASA ASRS.

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.