2011-10 · NASA ASRS report 972894
C172 Instructor with student and a C182 pilot experience a NMAC at 2;500 FT west of MYF.
The flight began departing Montgomery Field Municipal airport Runway 28R departing westbound on a heading of approximately 270 with a beginning student pilot on a flight training lesson. MYF Tower gave a frequency change approval approximately 2-3 NM west of the airport. I then changed to the air-to-air frequency of 122.75 that is the main frequency used in the San Diego area for collision avoidance. At an altitude of what I believe to be at 2;000 FT; 5 NM west of Montgomery; the TCAD on a Garmin G1000 showed an aircraft coming 3 NM from the northwest at 300 FT above my current elevation. I then took over the controls from the student and proceeded to continue scanning outside for traffic and monitoring the ground track of the other aircraft. I then decided to stop my climb out and prepared for a descent for the best evasive action due to the fact that my slow climb out speed of 80 KTS would not produce enough energy to avoid the collision threat in time during a right turn. After spotting the traffic at approximately 1 NM away on a head on course I proceeded to pull power to idle and began a 2;000 FT/min plus dive which evaded the aircraft at approximately 400 FT below the other aircraft.
I began a VFR descent; and during the descent; was 'cleared into San Diego Class Bravo airspace direct Mt. Soledad' (VPSMS) by SCT. Still in the descent; and upon reaching Mt. Soledad at about 3;000 MSL; SCT asked me to contact MYF tower while remaining on my current beacon code. ATC then quickly added that there was traffic; 11-o'clock; westbound; climbing through 2;400. ATC recommended an immediate 25-degree turn to the right to avoid traffic. I complied while also slowing my descent.I made the turn; and upon rolling out; I sighted the traffic just below me and to my left. My best estimate is that the other aircraft was inside 200 yards laterally and 150 FT below me plus/minus 50 FT. It was on a direct collision course with my airplane. I immediately pulled back on the yoke to climb and turned further to the right so as not to fly into the path of the oncoming airplane. No collision occurred. I then turned left and proceeded into MYF; and landed normally 4 minutes later.I am filing this form because this is the second time I have personally been affected by a near-collision in the Class E Airspace immediately to the west of MYF in the vicinity of Mt. Soledad. Due to large military (NKX) and civilian (SAN) airports north and south of MYF; the corridor for VFR traffic west of the airport is narrow. Further; it is very busy; MYF handles business; personal; and training aircraft; averaging 555 operations/day (average over 12-months ending 12/31/09); this number is nearly 4% higher than SAN for the same period.There are numerous potential solutions to the problem of keeping communications active between pilots and paths to separate aircraft in this very busy Class E airspace. Some solutions may involve controller procedures; involve re-designating airspace; or may simply mandating inbound and outbound procedures. In place today are suggested procedures; but they are not mandated and apparently not always complied with. I believe it prudent for the FAA to consider; and; as appropriate with input from pilots and controllers; implement a solution to help all of us avoid a much bigger problem in the skies over Mt. Soledad/La Jolla; California.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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