Narrative:

Departed little river airport to observe the pacific ocean and give basic instruction in complex aircraft. Sited a gray whale heading north. A tour boat was also observing the whale. We started an orbit around the location. We used 600 ft MSL as our altitude, but stayed well wide of the boat -- at least 2000 ft laterally -- so as to not disturb the tour. Also, this was within MSA FARS. On our second orbit, a small aircraft (vari-ez) went between us and the boat. He was at a lower altitude. None of the people in our aircraft saw this vari- ez coming, only going. In our zest to be legal regarding MSA's and to look at this whale, we neglected to look for other aircraft. See and avoid is the basis that aviation uses as traffic separation. In order to do this, pilots must scan for other aircraft at all times. One must divide attention and not become distracted, for long. My mistake was in not looking for someone else doing what we were doing. Lesson learned: be ever vigilant for other aircraft. When you fly for many yrs, some things are learned and forgotten and relearned, but a small slip in vigilance for traffic can be very costly. Looking for traffic should not be one lesson that has to be relearned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR, AND STUDENT WERE SIGHTSEEING AT A LOW ALT, WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH AN ACFT THAT WAS PROBABLY, ALSO, SIGHTSEEING.

Narrative: DEPARTED LITTLE RIVER ARPT TO OBSERVE THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND GIVE BASIC INSTRUCTION IN COMPLEX ACFT. SITED A GRAY WHALE HDG N. A TOUR BOAT WAS ALSO OBSERVING THE WHALE. WE STARTED AN ORBIT AROUND THE LOCATION. WE USED 600 FT MSL AS OUR ALT, BUT STAYED WELL WIDE OF THE BOAT -- AT LEAST 2000 FT LATERALLY -- SO AS TO NOT DISTURB THE TOUR. ALSO, THIS WAS WITHIN MSA FARS. ON OUR SECOND ORBIT, A SMALL ACFT (VARI-EZ) WENT BTWN US AND THE BOAT. HE WAS AT A LOWER ALT. NONE OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR ACFT SAW THIS VARI- EZ COMING, ONLY GOING. IN OUR ZEST TO BE LEGAL REGARDING MSA'S AND TO LOOK AT THIS WHALE, WE NEGLECTED TO LOOK FOR OTHER ACFT. SEE AND AVOID IS THE BASIS THAT AVIATION USES AS TFC SEPARATION. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, PLTS MUST SCAN FOR OTHER ACFT AT ALL TIMES. ONE MUST DIVIDE ATTN AND NOT BECOME DISTRACTED, FOR LONG. MY MISTAKE WAS IN NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE DOING WHAT WE WERE DOING. LESSON LEARNED: BE EVER VIGILANT FOR OTHER ACFT. WHEN YOU FLY FOR MANY YRS, SOME THINGS ARE LEARNED AND FORGOTTEN AND RELEARNED, BUT A SMALL SLIP IN VIGILANCE FOR TFC CAN BE VERY COSTLY. LOOKING FOR TFC SHOULD NOT BE ONE LESSON THAT HAS TO BE RELEARNED.

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.