Narrative:

We departed lgb according to our IFR clearance. WX was 2.5 mi visibility. We climbed to 1600 ft on heading 200 degrees and got a vector to turn toward emmy and eva. Over emmy and eva, while at 1600 ft and heading 090 degrees we observed a low-wing cherokee Y come out of the haze and break to our right resulting in an near midair collision. Separation was 30 ft vertical and 50 ft horizontal. I called socal on 124.65 to report the near midair collision. Socal responded, 'you're at 2000 ft?' I responded back, 'negative, our clearance was for 1600 ft.' socal said 'sorry, you were showing high and they were showing low.' I then called socal to confirm that they showed us on an IFR flight plan. Socal did confirm we were IFR. The cherokee was VFR going into lgb for practice approachs. We were IFR-round robin back to lgb in order to get IFR separation due to the obvious hazardous conditions due to low visibility in the haze. We never received the proper monitoring from socal or IFR separation. We got lucky.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IFR C172 ON A VECTOR HEADING OVER EMMY AND EVA OIL PLATFORMS HAD AN NMAC WITH A VFR PA28 INBOUND TO LGB FOR A PRACTICE APCH. THE PA28 TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS THE C172 AND APCH CTL SAID THAT THE C172 WAS SHOWING AN ALT OF 2000 FT AND THE PA28 WAS READING A LOWER ALT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED LGB ACCORDING TO OUR IFR CLRNC. WX WAS 2.5 MI VISIBILITY. WE CLBED TO 1600 FT ON HDG 200 DEGS AND GOT A VECTOR TO TURN TOWARD EMMY AND EVA. OVER EMMY AND EVA, WHILE AT 1600 FT AND HDG 090 DEGS WE OBSERVED A LOW-WING CHEROKEE Y COME OUT OF THE HAZE AND BREAK TO OUR R RESULTING IN AN NMAC. SEPARATION WAS 30 FT VERT AND 50 FT HORIZ. I CALLED SOCAL ON 124.65 TO RPT THE NMAC. SOCAL RESPONDED, 'YOU'RE AT 2000 FT?' I RESPONDED BACK, 'NEGATIVE, OUR CLRNC WAS FOR 1600 FT.' SOCAL SAID 'SORRY, YOU WERE SHOWING HIGH AND THEY WERE SHOWING LOW.' I THEN CALLED SOCAL TO CONFIRM THAT THEY SHOWED US ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. SOCAL DID CONFIRM WE WERE IFR. THE CHEROKEE WAS VFR GOING INTO LGB FOR PRACTICE APCHS. WE WERE IFR-ROUND ROBIN BACK TO LGB IN ORDER TO GET IFR SEPARATION DUE TO THE OBVIOUS HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY IN THE HAZE. WE NEVER RECEIVED THE PROPER MONITORING FROM SOCAL OR IFR SEPARATION. WE GOT LUCKY.

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.