Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 90; Flight Crew Total 1500
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airspace Structure
We were in the west practice just south of the Keystone Dam at 4;500 ft. on west heading making a clearing turn back to the north. Once we got on the north heading; my student made the call of altitude and position on our practice area frequency before starting a steep turn to the left. Before we started the turn I looked again to my right and did not see anything. As we came around on our left steep turn at roughly the 200 degree point of the turn; my student caught a glimpse of another aircraft just over us less than 500 ft. in altitude above us and took evasive action. I do not know which tail number it was or if it was ours; we lost it in the sun when we turned back to look for it but student said it was clearly a 172. It is possible that the aircraft was still on with Approach at the time we made our radio call. Other factors; as we turned left in the steep turn passing west heading I got temporary sun spots due to the almost at eye level in the aircraft.
C172 instructor reported bright sunlight reduced visibility during a training maneuver; resulting in a NMAC.