Narrative:

On van nuys departure en route to san francisco from burbank. Assigned heading 340 degree for vector to gorman VOR. Both pilots fly into burbank frequently and are familiar with traffic density in the southern california area, therefore we were actively clearing for traffic. We received a call from the controller 'traffic alert less than a mile, 2-3 O'clock, 6500'.' since I had just finished a scan of cockpit instruments, I knew I was at 6500' so I immediately increased my rate of climb for vertical separation and at the same time I focused on the aircraft. It was an small aircraft, white wings and sky blue fuselage. I did not see the small aircraft take any evasive action. We advise the controller of the closeness. He stated he had turned away to coordination our handoff to center and when he returned he saw the aircraft on the scope. He stated he had not seen it prior. Contributing factors: 1) coloring of aircraft blended perfectly with sky. 2) no strobe lights or landing lights observed. 3) controller's console apparently requires him to turn away from scope with no one to back him up. 4) weakness of human eye to pick up aircraft. See and avoid often does not work. What saved the day: controller's instant action. Small aircraft had a mode C transponder. My position awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMA NW OF BUR.

Narrative: ON VAN NUYS DEP ENRTE TO SAN FRANCISCO FROM BURBANK. ASSIGNED HDG 340 DEG FOR VECTOR TO GORMAN VOR. BOTH PLTS FLY INTO BURBANK FREQUENTLY AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH TFC DENSITY IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA, THEREFORE WE WERE ACTIVELY CLEARING FOR TFC. WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CTLR 'TFC ALERT LESS THAN A MILE, 2-3 O'CLOCK, 6500'.' SINCE I HAD JUST FINISHED A SCAN OF COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS, I KNEW I WAS AT 6500' SO I IMMEDIATELY INCREASED MY RATE OF CLIMB FOR VERTICAL SEPARATION AND AT THE SAME TIME I FOCUSED ON THE ACFT. IT WAS AN SMA, WHITE WINGS AND SKY BLUE FUSELAGE. I DID NOT SEE THE SMA TAKE ANY EVASIVE ACTION. WE ADVISE THE CTLR OF THE CLOSENESS. HE STATED HE HAD TURNED AWAY TO COORD OUR HANDOFF TO CENTER AND WHEN HE RETURNED HE SAW THE ACFT ON THE SCOPE. HE STATED HE HAD NOT SEEN IT PRIOR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) COLORING OF ACFT BLENDED PERFECTLY WITH SKY. 2) NO STROBE LIGHTS OR LNDG LIGHTS OBSERVED. 3) CTLR'S CONSOLE APPARENTLY REQUIRES HIM TO TURN AWAY FROM SCOPE WITH NO ONE TO BACK HIM UP. 4) WEAKNESS OF HUMAN EYE TO PICK UP ACFT. SEE AND AVOID OFTEN DOES NOT WORK. WHAT SAVED THE DAY: CTLR'S INSTANT ACTION. SMA HAD A MODE C XPONDER. MY POSITION AWARENESS.

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.