Narrative:

Under control ZLA on 119.05, I was given clearance to descend from FL240 to 9000'. Descending through approximately 12800' both the copilot and I simultaneously saw a twin, 11:30-12 O'clock position, head on and slightly below. I immediately pulled the nose up and banked right. The twin banked to his right. He passed on our left side, approximately 75-100' below us and 150' horizontal sep. The twin was on the same frequency. He said he was small transport, I believe, and I think he said he was squawking XXXX. I informed ZLA we had had a near miss and that I had taken evasive action. ZLA controller said he should have pointed out traffic earlier. Flight continued on to sba. I notified ZLA area manager of the near miss. There were scattered lower clouds and lower clouds out over the water. The small transport was painted white or light gray with gray trim and blended perfectly with the clouds. This most certainly contributed to the fact that we did not pick him out at a greater distance. Seat belt sign was on--all passenger seated. 3 F/a's were up and banged around, but none claimed injuries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN ACR-LGT DESCENDING AND ACR-SMT CRUISING. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: UNDER CTL ZLA ON 119.05, I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND FROM FL240 TO 9000'. DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 12800' BOTH THE COPLT AND I SIMULTANEOUSLY SAW A TWIN, 11:30-12 O'CLOCK POS, HEAD ON AND SLIGHTLY BELOW. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE NOSE UP AND BANKED RIGHT. THE TWIN BANKED TO HIS RIGHT. HE PASSED ON OUR LEFT SIDE, APPROX 75-100' BELOW US AND 150' HORIZ SEP. THE TWIN WAS ON THE SAME FREQ. HE SAID HE WAS SMT, I BELIEVE, AND I THINK HE SAID HE WAS SQUAWKING XXXX. I INFORMED ZLA WE HAD HAD A NEAR MISS AND THAT I HAD TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION. ZLA CTLR SAID HE SHOULD HAVE POINTED OUT TFC EARLIER. FLT CONTINUED ON TO SBA. I NOTIFIED ZLA AREA MGR OF THE NEAR MISS. THERE WERE SCATTERED LOWER CLOUDS AND LOWER CLOUDS OUT OVER THE WATER. THE SMT WAS PAINTED WHITE OR LIGHT GRAY WITH GRAY TRIM AND BLENDED PERFECTLY WITH THE CLOUDS. THIS MOST CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT PICK HIM OUT AT A GREATER DISTANCE. SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON--ALL PAX SEATED. 3 F/A'S WERE UP AND BANGED AROUND, BUT NONE CLAIMED INJURIES.

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