Beech V35 pilot has an near midair collision during approach to lgb.

Attributes
ACN	716578
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 52 flight time total : 6950 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	716578
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

V35A XXX was approximately 13 NM west of lgb at 3000 ft MSL; squawking 1200. XXX made initial contact with lgb tower (119.4) requesting landing clearance for runway 25L; with taxiway K. Lgb tower cleared XXX for direct entry to downwind for runway 25L and to report crossing the 710 freeway. Acknowledged tower clearance and repeated instructions for downwind entry for runway 25L and to report crossing the 710 freeway. I then started a gradual descent for the pattern at lgb. Lgb tower advised XXX at this point of a cessna stationaire departing runway 25L; turning to 180 degrees after 800 ft. Reported crossing the 710 freeway and advised lgb tower that I didn't have visual contact with the cessna departing runway 25L. 10 or 15 seconds later I was at 1600 ft MSL and 130 KTS. I again advised lgb tower that I had no visual contact with the cessna. Because of the lack of visual contact; I stopped my descent. I am convinced this prevented a midair collision; because seconds later I saw the cessna directly below and slightly to the left of my aircraft. The cessna was in a climbing left turn 100-150 ft below my position. Our converging courses put us in extreme danger of a midair collision. Only our altitude separation prevented physical contact. Note: I don't know if the cessna ever saw XXX. I also don't know if the cessna was made aware of XXX approach to the pattern from the downwind position. I would guess the cessna had switched to departure frequency and didn't monitor my calls to lgb tower advising of my lack of visual contact with the cessna. At this point I think I reported to lgb tower that XXX had visual contact with the cessna. I also said something to lgb tower about not giving XXX traffic avoidance turns to help mediate possible conflicts. Lgb tower responded to XXX defensively; saying the cessna was IFR and that XXX should have altered course toward the center of the airport of my own volition if I didn't have visual contact with the cessna. XXX continued descent and landed on runway 25L. At this point I was angry with myself for not seeing the cessna until it was almost too late for evasive action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH V35 PLT HAS AN NMAC DURING APCH TO LGB.

Narrative: V35A XXX WAS APPROX 13 NM W OF LGB AT 3000 FT MSL; SQUAWKING 1200. XXX MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH LGB TWR (119.4) REQUESTING LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 25L; WITH TXWY K. LGB TWR CLRED XXX FOR DIRECT ENTRY TO DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25L AND TO RPT XING THE 710 FREEWAY. ACKNOWLEDGED TWR CLRNC AND REPEATED INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOWNWIND ENTRY FOR RWY 25L AND TO RPT XING THE 710 FREEWAY. I THEN STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT FOR THE PATTERN AT LGB. LGB TWR ADVISED XXX AT THIS POINT OF A CESSNA STATIONAIRE DEPARTING RWY 25L; TURNING TO 180 DEGS AFTER 800 FT. RPTED XING THE 710 FREEWAY AND ADVISED LGB TWR THAT I DIDN'T HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA DEPARTING RWY 25L. 10 OR 15 SECONDS LATER I WAS AT 1600 FT MSL AND 130 KTS. I AGAIN ADVISED LGB TWR THAT I HAD NO VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA. BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF VISUAL CONTACT; I STOPPED MY DSCNT. I AM CONVINCED THIS PREVENTED A MIDAIR COLLISION; BECAUSE SECONDS LATER I SAW THE CESSNA DIRECTLY BELOW AND SLIGHTLY TO THE L OF MY ACFT. THE CESSNA WAS IN A CLBING L TURN 100-150 FT BELOW MY POS. OUR CONVERGING COURSES PUT US IN EXTREME DANGER OF A MIDAIR COLLISION. ONLY OUR ALT SEPARATION PREVENTED PHYSICAL CONTACT. NOTE: I DON'T KNOW IF THE CESSNA EVER SAW XXX. I ALSO DON'T KNOW IF THE CESSNA WAS MADE AWARE OF XXX APCH TO THE PATTERN FROM THE DOWNWIND POS. I WOULD GUESS THE CESSNA HAD SWITCHED TO DEP FREQ AND DIDN'T MONITOR MY CALLS TO LGB TWR ADVISING OF MY LACK OF VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA. AT THIS POINT I THINK I RPTED TO LGB TWR THAT XXX HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA. I ALSO SAID SOMETHING TO LGB TWR ABOUT NOT GIVING XXX TFC AVOIDANCE TURNS TO HELP MEDIATE POSSIBLE CONFLICTS. LGB TWR RESPONDED TO XXX DEFENSIVELY; SAYING THE CESSNA WAS IFR AND THAT XXX SHOULD HAVE ALTERED COURSE TOWARD THE CTR OF THE ARPT OF MY OWN VOLITION IF I DIDN'T HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA. XXX CONTINUED DSCNT AND LANDED ON RWY 25L. AT THIS POINT I WAS ANGRY WITH MYSELF FOR NOT SEEING THE CESSNA UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST TOO LATE FOR EVASIVE ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.