Reporter objects to low altitude on approach to lgb and mix with small aircraft VFR traffic.

Attributes
ACN	110304
Time
Date	198904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1680
ASRS Report	110304
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I am sending this merely as an advisory on what I perceive as an unsafe procedure. Our flight was IFR from sba to lgb. We are routinely routed southeast off the coast toward sxc (santa catalina) and then turned inland to be vectored to final for runway 30 at lgb. The problem is that the controllers insist on descending us to 1600' while still off the coast. We are then below the lax TCA and crossing the coastline with all the small VFR traffic. The problem is compounded by the poor visibility in the los angeles area, which is even worse in the morning when heading east into the sun. I feel we need a procedure to better keep us separated from this high density VFR traffic. If not, we may be looking at a midair situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER OBJECTS TO LOW ALT ON APCH TO LGB AND MIX WITH SMA VFR TRAFFIC.

Narrative: I AM SENDING THIS MERELY AS AN ADVISORY ON WHAT I PERCEIVE AS AN UNSAFE PROC. OUR FLT WAS IFR FROM SBA TO LGB. WE ARE ROUTINELY ROUTED SE OFF THE COAST TOWARD SXC (SANTA CATALINA) AND THEN TURNED INLAND TO BE VECTORED TO FINAL FOR RWY 30 AT LGB. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CTLRS INSIST ON DSNDING US TO 1600' WHILE STILL OFF THE COAST. WE ARE THEN BELOW THE LAX TCA AND XING THE COASTLINE WITH ALL THE SMALL VFR TFC. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BY THE POOR VISIBILITY IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA, WHICH IS EVEN WORSE IN THE MORNING WHEN HDG E INTO THE SUN. I FEEL WE NEED A PROC TO BETTER KEEP US SEPARATED FROM THIS HIGH DENSITY VFR TFC. IF NOT, WE MAY BE LOOKING AT A MIDAIR SITUATION.

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.