PA41 pilot had near midair collision with C172.

Attributes
ACN	412037
Time
Date	199808
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : baf
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 1978 flight time type : 23
ASRS Report	412037
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 unspecified : 400 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was under the hood in the left seat doing some instrument flying with my friend who owns the cheyenne. He was my copilot/safety pilot. I was on radar advisories between pvd and baf, getting ready to do a practice approach. The owner was doing an excellent job as a safety pilot/copilot and when he was getting a chart for me, I looked outside and saw the cessna, and made a turn to avoid him (small turn, about 10 degrees). We missed by about 300-500 ft (approximately). The controller then called our call sign and I replied that we saw and avoided the cessna. It pays to be vigilant and it's an excellent idea to look out the window yourself when the safety pilot has to look inside to help you get a chart. Someone should always be looking outside, even on radar advisories. I make sure I do this and this habit helped avoid a midair.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA41 PLT HAD NMAC WITH C172.

Narrative: I WAS UNDER THE HOOD IN THE L SEAT DOING SOME INST FLYING WITH MY FRIEND WHO OWNS THE CHEYENNE. HE WAS MY COPLT/SAFETY PLT. I WAS ON RADAR ADVISORIES BTWN PVD AND BAF, GETTING READY TO DO A PRACTICE APCH. THE OWNER WAS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB AS A SAFETY PLT/COPLT AND WHEN HE WAS GETTING A CHART FOR ME, I LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW THE CESSNA, AND MADE A TURN TO AVOID HIM (SMALL TURN, ABOUT 10 DEGS). WE MISSED BY ABOUT 300-500 FT (APPROX). THE CTLR THEN CALLED OUR CALL SIGN AND I REPLIED THAT WE SAW AND AVOIDED THE CESSNA. IT PAYS TO BE VIGILANT AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW YOURSELF WHEN THE SAFETY PLT HAS TO LOOK INSIDE TO HELP YOU GET A CHART. SOMEONE SHOULD ALWAYS BE LOOKING OUTSIDE, EVEN ON RADAR ADVISORIES. I MAKE SURE I DO THIS AND THIS HABIT HELPED AVOID A MIDAIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.