CFI and student returning to toa from sxc have near midair collision with another small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	155343
Time
Date	199008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : toa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	155343
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After giving some pattern instruction at sxc, we departed northbound on an approximately course of 010 degrees, cruising at 3500' MSL, returning to toa. Approximately 10 NM south of san pedro, my student (a commercial and INS rated pilot) was tuning radios for arrival. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a light brown small aircraft coming at us head-on. The small aircraft actually saw us first and started a climbing turn to his right. I yanked the controls and started a very sharp right turn to avoid hitting the small aircraft, which was on a ssw heading also at 3500' MSL. We avoided collision by what I would guess to be less than 100' of sep. The small aircraft would probably have been more visible to me if it didn't blend in so well with the smog that was blanketing the la basin of approximately the same color as the aircraft. Let's all try to follow the hemispherical rule.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI AND STUDENT RETURNING TO TOA FROM SXC HAVE NMAC WITH ANOTHER SMA.

Narrative: AFTER GIVING SOME PATTERN INSTRUCTION AT SXC, WE DEPARTED NBND ON AN APPROX COURSE OF 010 DEGS, CRUISING AT 3500' MSL, RETURNING TO TOA. APPROX 10 NM S OF SAN PEDRO, MY STUDENT (A COMMERCIAL AND INS RATED PLT) WAS TUNING RADIOS FOR ARR. OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I CAUGHT SIGHT OF A LIGHT BROWN SMA COMING AT US HEAD-ON. THE SMA ACTUALLY SAW US FIRST AND STARTED A CLBING TURN TO HIS RIGHT. I YANKED THE CTLS AND STARTED A VERY SHARP RIGHT TURN TO AVOID HITTING THE SMA, WHICH WAS ON A SSW HDG ALSO AT 3500' MSL. WE AVOIDED COLLISION BY WHAT I WOULD GUESS TO BE LESS THAN 100' OF SEP. THE SMA WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN MORE VISIBLE TO ME IF IT DIDN'T BLEND IN SO WELL WITH THE SMOG THAT WAS BLANKETING THE LA BASIN OF APPROX THE SAME COLOR AS THE ACFT. LET'S ALL TRY TO FOLLOW THE HEMISPHERICAL RULE.

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.