Narrative:

As a commercial airline pilot I fly into/out of ontario, ca, regularly. Ontario, ca, is my prediction of where the next air tragedy will occur, probably a mid-air or ground collision (or both), ATC caused. On 4/90 we were climbing IMC (actual) on the ontario pomona four departure and just as we xed pomona VOR we were ordered to level off at 5000' MSL because of 'crossing traffic' (an small transport jet). The departure controller was very busy giving advisories/directions/etc to several light (GA) aircraft in the vicinity and we couldn't get a word in edgewise to question our terrain clearance. (Note: the MEA along this published route between pomona VOR and dowst is 10000'). The departure controller was communicating non-stop with the several small aircraft completely masking the frequency. After a very uncomfortable time/distance lapse, I was about to commence an emergency climb but we (eventually) received a climb clearance approximately 5 mi northwest of pomona VOR. Please take a look at the los angeles area chart 10-1 and notice the rapidly rising terrain just 8 mi (+/-) northwest of pomona (san gabriel mountain range). Compare this with the 294 degree right (pom) extension. Not a good place to be stuck (and ignored!) at 5000'. The ont departure controllers habitually and routinely put priority handling in favor of the light aircraft under their control in the east los angeles basin. This is my second frightful 'encounter' with light aircraft traffic climbing out on the ontario pomona four departure. A couple months ago I had a very near mid-air collision with an small aircraft who was also under ontario's departure control. I have rarely heard an ontario departure controller issue a traffic avoidance directive to a light aircraft in conflict. They definitely favor maneuvering the commercial jets to avoid traffic conflicts. In this specific case, I believe, they put my passenger in jeopardy. The small transport jet received priority.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CONCERNED ABOUT TERRAIN CLRNC AFTER BEING ASSIGNED INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OFF BY ATC.

Narrative: AS A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PLT I FLY INTO/OUT OF ONTARIO, CA, REGULARLY. ONTARIO, CA, IS MY PREDICTION OF WHERE THE NEXT AIR TRAGEDY WILL OCCUR, PROBABLY A MID-AIR OR GND COLLISION (OR BOTH), ATC CAUSED. ON 4/90 WE WERE CLBING IMC (ACTUAL) ON THE ONTARIO POMONA FOUR DEP AND JUST AS WE XED POMONA VOR WE WERE ORDERED TO LEVEL OFF AT 5000' MSL BECAUSE OF 'XING TFC' (AN SMT JET). THE DEP CTLR WAS VERY BUSY GIVING ADVISORIES/DIRECTIONS/ETC TO SEVERAL LIGHT (GA) ACFT IN THE VICINITY AND WE COULDN'T GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE TO QUESTION OUR TERRAIN CLRNC. (NOTE: THE MEA ALONG THIS PUBLISHED RTE BTWN POMONA VOR AND DOWST IS 10000'). THE DEP CTLR WAS COMMUNICATING NON-STOP WITH THE SEVERAL SMALL ACFT COMPLETELY MASKING THE FREQ. AFTER A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TIME/DISTANCE LAPSE, I WAS ABOUT TO COMMENCE AN EMER CLB BUT WE (EVENTUALLY) RECEIVED A CLB CLRNC APPROX 5 MI NW OF POMONA VOR. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE LOS ANGELES AREA CHART 10-1 AND NOTICE THE RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN JUST 8 MI (+/-) NW OF POMONA (SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAIN RANGE). COMPARE THIS WITH THE 294 DEG R (POM) EXTENSION. NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE STUCK (AND IGNORED!) AT 5000'. THE ONT DEP CTLRS HABITUALLY AND ROUTINELY PUT PRIORITY HANDLING IN FAVOR OF THE LIGHT ACFT UNDER THEIR CTL IN THE E LOS ANGELES BASIN. THIS IS MY SECOND FRIGHTFUL 'ENCOUNTER' WITH LIGHT ACFT TFC CLBING OUT ON THE ONTARIO POMONA FOUR DEP. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO I HAD A VERY NEAR MID-AIR COLLISION WITH AN SMA WHO WAS ALSO UNDER ONTARIO'S DEP CTL. I HAVE RARELY HEARD AN ONTARIO DEP CTLR ISSUE A TFC AVOIDANCE DIRECTIVE TO A LIGHT ACFT IN CONFLICT. THEY DEFINITELY FAVOR MANEUVERING THE COMMERCIAL JETS TO AVOID TFC CONFLICTS. IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE, I BELIEVE, THEY PUT MY PAX IN JEOPARDY. THE SMT JET RECEIVED PRIORITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.