Narrative:

I departed daugherty field (long beach, ca) approximately XA45 local time, apr/xx/94. I requested clearance through the santa ana/el toro class C airspace from coast approach to intercept V-64 (080 degree radial) from seal beach VORTAC on to blythe, ca. I received a squawk code and was cleared to climb to 9500 ft, my requested cruising altitude. I was advised that V64 was closed due to the el toro airshow and military jets in the airspace. I was directed to skirt the airspace by 6 mi. In a climb at about 8500 ft the controller called jet traffic at my 12 O'clock position, descending out of 9500 ft. I don't recall the exact separation but I believe it was approximately 5 mi. I reported contact with the traffic and my position was reported to the jet. I could see the jet was descending and our paths of flight were in line with each other. I flashed my landing lights so the jet could verify my position. I kept the jet in view and expected one of us to get a vector for traffic avoidance. I did not alter the course for fear it may interfere with ATC traffic separation plans. However, it appeared there would be a midair if the flight paths continued. As we closed there were no xmissions from the jet or ATC. I then alerted ATC by asking if I should make a turn here. ATC responded 'turn right 15 degrees' and gave the jet a right turn to 280 degrees. The jet was slow to make the turn, then responded 'that is a file sir.' meanwhile I turned right from north northeast direction and continued to observe the jet. My turn appeared too shallow so I continued to a 40 degree turn, put the nose down and went into a steep descent. The jet executed a right turn probably to his vector of 280 degrees. My immediate turn and descent eliminated the conflict. Even if the jet had not turned clearance was now there for the jet to safely pass. The incident has served to remind me of several things: the rapid closure rate of high performance aircraft. Do not rely on being seen and avoided by other aircraft. And query ATC over vague and confused directions or intentions. Finally, everyone involved in flying shares an equal responsibility for safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA PENETRATED SPECIAL RESTR AIRSPACE FOR AN AIRSHOW RESULTING IN EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN TO AVOID THE OTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED DAUGHERTY FIELD (LONG BEACH, CA) APPROX XA45 LCL TIME, APR/XX/94. I REQUESTED CLRNC THROUGH THE SANTA ANA/EL TORO CLASS C AIRSPACE FROM COAST APCH TO INTERCEPT V-64 (080 DEG RADIAL) FROM SEAL BEACH VORTAC ON TO BLYTHE, CA. I RECEIVED A SQUAWK CODE AND WAS CLRED TO CLB TO 9500 FT, MY REQUESTED CRUISING ALT. I WAS ADVISED THAT V64 WAS CLOSED DUE TO THE EL TORO AIRSHOW AND MIL JETS IN THE AIRSPACE. I WAS DIRECTED TO SKIRT THE AIRSPACE BY 6 MI. IN A CLB AT ABOUT 8500 FT THE CTLR CALLED JET TFC AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS, DSNDING OUT OF 9500 FT. I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT SEPARATION BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS APPROX 5 MI. I RPTED CONTACT WITH THE TFC AND MY POS WAS RPTED TO THE JET. I COULD SEE THE JET WAS DSNDING AND OUR PATHS OF FLT WERE IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER. I FLASHED MY LNDG LIGHTS SO THE JET COULD VERIFY MY POS. I KEPT THE JET IN VIEW AND EXPECTED ONE OF US TO GET A VECTOR FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. I DID NOT ALTER THE COURSE FOR FEAR IT MAY INTERFERE WITH ATC TFC SEPARATION PLANS. HOWEVER, IT APPEARED THERE WOULD BE A MIDAIR IF THE FLT PATHS CONTINUED. AS WE CLOSED THERE WERE NO XMISSIONS FROM THE JET OR ATC. I THEN ALERTED ATC BY ASKING IF I SHOULD MAKE A TURN HERE. ATC RESPONDED 'TURN R 15 DEGS' AND GAVE THE JET A R TURN TO 280 DEGS. THE JET WAS SLOW TO MAKE THE TURN, THEN RESPONDED 'THAT IS A FILE SIR.' MEANWHILE I TURNED R FROM N NE DIRECTION AND CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE JET. MY TURN APPEARED TOO SHALLOW SO I CONTINUED TO A 40 DEG TURN, PUT THE NOSE DOWN AND WENT INTO A STEEP DSCNT. THE JET EXECUTED A R TURN PROBABLY TO HIS VECTOR OF 280 DEGS. MY IMMEDIATE TURN AND DSCNT ELIMINATED THE CONFLICT. EVEN IF THE JET HAD NOT TURNED CLRNC WAS NOW THERE FOR THE JET TO SAFELY PASS. THE INCIDENT HAS SERVED TO REMIND ME OF SEVERAL THINGS: THE RAPID CLOSURE RATE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT. DO NOT RELY ON BEING SEEN AND AVOIDED BY OTHER ACFT. AND QUERY ATC OVER VAGUE AND CONFUSED DIRECTIONS OR INTENTIONS. FINALLY, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN FLYING SHARES AN EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY.

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.