Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 2000; Flight Crew Type 20
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
Inbound to HHR airport from the north through the Los Angeles Special Flight Rules area (3;500 FT MSL south-eastbound); we checked ATIS for HHR and transitioned the SFRA at 3;500 FT MSL over LAX; in a C172. Exiting south of the SFRA; we contacted Hawthorne Tower and stated our position exiting the SFRA and requested landing with the information.  Hawthorne Tower directed us to descend and report left downwind for Runway 25. We began a left turn and descended into Hawthorne Class D airspace. At approximately 2;200 FT during our descent (HHR Class D airspace goes up to 2;500 FT) and about 2 miles for the runway; and in HHR Class D airspace; we were crossed right to left by another Cessna that passed in front of us at the same altitude 50-100 FT away right in front of us. We had not seen the other traffic in our descent and Hawthorne Tower had not given us any traffic advisories. We notified Tower on the radio of our close call; and Tower confirmed that they had just handed off that traffic to LAX Tower for the Northbound Mini Route transition (which is at 2;500 FT even though this traffic crossed us closer to 2;200 FT). Tower ATC said that he had not thought there was any conflict even though he was providing our aircraft and the other aircraft with ATC services at the time. He advised us to 'maintain VFR' and then invited us into the Tower to discuss what happened. We accepted the invitation and visited with him in the Tower. He was the only person in the Tower at the time and we learned later that it was a 'Contract Tower'; which could have explained the low staff level (1 person); and which may or may not have directly affected HHR Tower's ability to give good traffic advisories in this very busy airspace transition area. Tower ATC reminded us that it was our responsibility to 'see and avoid' traffic in VFR; which we of course knew; but we were surprised that there was only 1 person in the Tower and that it was not a priority for HHR Tower to separate traffic inside its airspace; with particular respect to the many transition routes in the area (that transition LAX Class B). The lesson for me was that some Towers appear to be understaffed and that I have had a false sense of security operating in Class D airspace. I recognized that I normally relax slightly when entering Class D airspace with respect to VFR 'see and avoid'; because I have had the impression that Tower is providing me with traffic advisories. This experience demonstrated that it is almost more important to look for traffic when in Class D airspace; since it is more congested with traffic than Class E airspace (for example); and that a reasonable expectation of traffic advisories may be misplaced when operating near a Class D Control Tower and inside Class D airspace.
General Aviation pilot entering downwind at HHR experienced a NMAC with VFR traffic transitioning Class D toward the LAX Mini Route; no traffic information was provided by ATC.