PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 1300; Flight Crew Type 1000
Other / Unknown
Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
Having been cleared into the Los Angles mini route by LA Tower; my student and I; as well as our commercial pilot passenger; all heard another airplane on the frequency entering the mini route. The other pilot (Cessna 182) was advised of our position; reported us in sight; and told to maintain visual separation and south of the mini route course (the SMO 128 radial.) The other pilot acknowledged and LA Tower advised me that traffic would be passing on our left. My commercial pilot passenger (in the back seat) began looking behind us for the traffic; as they would be overtaking us. He reported the traffic in sight; and after a moment recommended I turn right 10 degrees. I relayed this information to my student; who did as he was told; and we continued. A thought had crossed my mind that I shouldn't turn in the mini route; but I did. Moments later; the other aircraft was pulling up from behind as a very uncomfortable distance. I instructed my student to begin a turn to the right and initiated the turn myself to ensure a timely avoidance maneuver. The other plane passed us approximately 100 feet off the left wing. All three of us on-board were very surprised as the other pilot simply cruised on and didn't seem to make any adjustment to his course. I advised Tower that the traffic had passed us at what I felt was an unacceptable distance and obtained a phone number. The other pilot; before switching frequencies; transmitted 'I wasn't that close; it's a matter of perception' which I feel reflects his unsafe and unprofessional attitude. I called the Tower on the ground after thoroughly debriefing both my student and our commercial pilot rated passenger. The Tower individual told me that because the other aircraft reported me in sight and held visual separation there was nothing he could do. I feel that using the criteria of 'well he didn't hit you' is asking for further problems. Tower could have advised him to give us more distance; given us more frequent advisories on the traffic; or offered either aircraft a different altitude. All of these options have been offered to me in the mini route on several occasions. While I understand the point of this report is to force an evaluation of our own performance; I thoroughly believe I did everything correct and the other pilot is entirely at fault. In my six years of flying in the Los Angeles Basin I have never had such a close call. If my passenger had not advised me to turn; and I had not taken a further evasive action as they approached; there is no doubt in my mind the Cessna would have hit us.
PA28 instructor pilot with a student reports being passed on the LAX mini route by a C182 at an uncomfortably close range. The Cessna pilot did not believe the distance was too close.