Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 903; Flight Crew Type 600
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Tracking outbound 055 radial from the ELN VOR; at about 12 NM and at 7500 MSL; my student and I encountered traffic inbound on the same radial; same altitude. My student spotted the other aircraft (Red and White Cessna; possibly a 182 with retractable gear; was able to see the pilots face but unable to get the tail number); banked right and climbed instantly; missing the other aircraft by about 500 ft horizontal and 200 ft vertical. No radio calls from other aircraft on CTAF (123.0). We had made frequent radio calls departing the Ellensburg; WA valley stating we were at 7500 MSL outbound on the 055 radial (Victor 2 Airway) with distance reports along the way. Had my student not done what he had; we would likely have had a midair collision. When the other aircraft was spotted; we were at most a half mile away. No effort to avoid a collision was made by the other aircraft; and was unable to get in touch with them on the Ellensburg CTAF on 123.0.
C172 instructor pilot reported a NMAC with another Cessna in the vicinity of ELN VOR.