Narrative:

I was approximately 4 mi south of lgb, heading approximately 187 degrees, being vectored toward the ILS for toa and was still at 4000 ft MSL, not yet given a descent. While scanning for traffic, I saw between my right wingtip and the nose and slightly low a dark object (semi-silhouette since the sun was to my right and somewhat high -- west) at a distance. Checked my panel and looked again and saw the same object larger and in same relative position, therefore coming at me. I took evasive action -- a climbing right turn. ATC did point out the traffic but I cannot recall whether it was before or after my evasive action. I can say for sure that I got insufficient notice from ATC (if it was before I looked for the traffic, I am sure that it would have been perhaps 5 seconds before my seeing it). The aircraft passed immediately beneath me. While climbing I looked out my left window and saw that passage happen. It was very close. If I had not climbed I believe I would have had a collision with the twin. I had made a statement to ATC that I thought that airplane got very close. A few seconds later, while being vectored further toward the ILS, ATC let me know that the aircraft was an aeronautical commander. (I said I'd call someone later -- I didn't want to deal with detail while intercepting then tracking an ILS.) the controller's attitude was professional and informative. No problem there. But having the extra services (I say 'extra' because I know the regulations did not require point-out of non-IFR traffic, and that I am required to see-and-avoid in VMC), especially if it had been long before I got the pointout, could have been life-saving.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A CESSNA 172 ON IFR VECTORS TO THE ILS IN VMC AND A VFR AERO COMMANDER IN CLR SKY CONDITIONS. THE C172 TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY MAKING A CLBING R TURN.

Narrative: I WAS APPROX 4 MI S OF LGB, HEADING APPROX 187 DEGS, BEING VECTORED TOWARD THE ILS FOR TOA AND WAS STILL AT 4000 FT MSL, NOT YET GIVEN A DSCNT. WHILE SCANNING FOR TFC, I SAW BTWN MY R WINGTIP AND THE NOSE AND SLIGHTLY LOW A DARK OBJECT (SEMI-SILHOUETTE SINCE THE SUN WAS TO MY R AND SOMEWHAT HIGH -- W) AT A DISTANCE. CHKED MY PANEL AND LOOKED AGAIN AND SAW THE SAME OBJECT LARGER AND IN SAME RELATIVE POS, THEREFORE COMING AT ME. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION -- A CLBING R TURN. ATC DID POINT OUT THE TFC BUT I CANNOT RECALL WHETHER IT WAS BEFORE OR AFTER MY EVASIVE ACTION. I CAN SAY FOR SURE THAT I GOT INSUFFICIENT NOTICE FROM ATC (IF IT WAS BEFORE I LOOKED FOR THE TFC, I AM SURE THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PERHAPS 5 SECONDS BEFORE MY SEEING IT). THE ACFT PASSED IMMEDIATELY BENEATH ME. WHILE CLBING I LOOKED OUT MY L WINDOW AND SAW THAT PASSAGE HAPPEN. IT WAS VERY CLOSE. IF I HAD NOT CLBED I BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE HAD A COLLISION WITH THE TWIN. I HAD MADE A STATEMENT TO ATC THAT I THOUGHT THAT AIRPLANE GOT VERY CLOSE. A FEW SECONDS LATER, WHILE BEING VECTORED FURTHER TOWARD THE ILS, ATC LET ME KNOW THAT THE ACFT WAS AN AERO COMMANDER. (I SAID I'D CALL SOMEONE LATER -- I DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH DETAIL WHILE INTERCEPTING THEN TRACKING AN ILS.) THE CTLR'S ATTITUDE WAS PROFESSIONAL AND INFORMATIVE. NO PROB THERE. BUT HAVING THE EXTRA SVCS (I SAY 'EXTRA' BECAUSE I KNOW THE REGS DID NOT REQUIRE POINT-OUT OF NON-IFR TFC, AND THAT I AM REQUIRED TO SEE-AND-AVOID IN VMC), ESPECIALLY IF IT HAD BEEN LONG BEFORE I GOT THE POINTOUT, COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE-SAVING.

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.