Training flight flying into sun has near midair collision with small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	156884
Time
Date	199009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : prc
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : prc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 580
ASRS Report	156884
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We were on a training flight for primary INS. The student was under the hood. We were heading 100 degrees inbound to the airport and descending at 500 FPM from 8000'. The sun was still pretty low and just to our left. I was looking at the airport giving simulated radar vectors. Just below the sun at our altitude an small aircraft banked hard right about 45 degree bank for what looked like a 90 degree heading change. I did not see him until he was well into his turn, and then only as a black outline. I told my student to look up as we made a shallow turn. By the time I saw him his evasive action had avoided the conflict. There was no need for us to turn. In the future it might be advisable to have the student assisting in the scan for collision avoidance and be more aware of aircraft that could be lurking in the sun.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAINING FLT FLYING INTO SUN HAS NMAC WITH SMA.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A TRNING FLT FOR PRIMARY INS. THE STUDENT WAS UNDER THE HOOD. WE WERE HDG 100 DEGS INBND TO THE ARPT AND DSNDING AT 500 FPM FROM 8000'. THE SUN WAS STILL PRETTY LOW AND JUST TO OUR LEFT. I WAS LOOKING AT THE ARPT GIVING SIMULATED RADAR VECTORS. JUST BELOW THE SUN AT OUR ALT AN SMA BANKED HARD RIGHT ABOUT 45 DEG BANK FOR WHAT LOOKED LIKE A 90 DEG HDG CHANGE. I DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL HE WAS WELL INTO HIS TURN, AND THEN ONLY AS A BLACK OUTLINE. I TOLD MY STUDENT TO LOOK UP AS WE MADE A SHALLOW TURN. BY THE TIME I SAW HIM HIS EVASIVE ACTION HAD AVOIDED THE CONFLICT. THERE WAS NO NEED FOR US TO TURN. IN THE FUTURE IT MIGHT BE ADVISABLE TO HAVE THE STUDENT ASSISTING IN THE SCAN FOR COLLISION AVOIDANCE AND BE MORE AWARE OF ACFT THAT COULD BE LURKING IN THE SUN.

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.