Narrative:

Was in left seat of a C172 tracking the northeast pne VOR inbound at 3000 ft. Aircraft heading was roughly 130 degrees and aircraft was roughly 2-3 mi from pne. I was under the hood (simulated instrument conditions) and the private pilot, in the right seat was acting as safety pilot. The flight crew had originated at deck airport (9d2) roughly 1 hour earlier, and there had been a stop at ptw airport. I was handling the radios and was in contact with pne tower. I had told them that we would be flying directly to the (on field) pne VOR at 3000 ft (the ceiling of the class D airspace is 2800 ft), and then would like to join them for a 5 mi final to runway 24. We were at some point asked to squawk identify, and we were in radar coverage. About this time also, we were told by pne to look for a twin engine aircraft below us either taking off or landing at pne, most likely, that was 'no factor.' at about this time, the safety pilot told me 'descend now!' or something to that effect, in a stern voice. I threw off the view-limiting device and initiated an immediate descent to 2800 ft. Looking out my right window, I saw the head-on view of a commuter airliner, possibly an ATR42. The commuter passed behind us at approximately the same altitude (ie, he was not 500 ft above or below -- he was at 3000 ft). I am not confident in this estimate, but I suppose the separation was about 1/2 mi, directly perpendicular. The ATR did not appear to alter course at all. I don't know if that's because he had us on TCASII or visually or what. I am not sure if any FARS were broken, and I'm pretty confident that if they were, I'm personally not responsible (for VFR traffic separation while under the hood). Nevertheless, this incident had a number of salient features that I felt should be reported.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 DSNDED TO AVOID AN ATR TURBOPROP OBSERVED ON A COLLISION COURSE IN CLASS E AIRSPACE APCHING A VOR WITHIN CLASS D AIRSPACE. ATC ISSUED A TA JUST PRIOR TO THE RPTR SIGHTING THE ATR ACFT.

Narrative: WAS IN L SEAT OF A C172 TRACKING THE NE PNE VOR INBOUND AT 3000 FT. ACFT HDG WAS ROUGHLY 130 DEGS AND ACFT WAS ROUGHLY 2-3 MI FROM PNE. I WAS UNDER THE HOOD (SIMULATED INST CONDITIONS) AND THE PVT PLT, IN THE R SEAT WAS ACTING AS SAFETY PLT. THE FLC HAD ORIGINATED AT DECK ARPT (9D2) ROUGHLY 1 HR EARLIER, AND THERE HAD BEEN A STOP AT PTW ARPT. I WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS AND WAS IN CONTACT WITH PNE TWR. I HAD TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD BE FLYING DIRECTLY TO THE (ON FIELD) PNE VOR AT 3000 FT (THE CEILING OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE IS 2800 FT), AND THEN WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THEM FOR A 5 MI FINAL TO RWY 24. WE WERE AT SOME POINT ASKED TO SQUAWK IDENT, AND WE WERE IN RADAR COVERAGE. ABOUT THIS TIME ALSO, WE WERE TOLD BY PNE TO LOOK FOR A TWIN ENG ACFT BELOW US EITHER TAKING OFF OR LNDG AT PNE, MOST LIKELY, THAT WAS 'NO FACTOR.' AT ABOUT THIS TIME, THE SAFETY PLT TOLD ME 'DSND NOW!' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, IN A STERN VOICE. I THREW OFF THE VIEW-LIMITING DEVICE AND INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 2800 FT. LOOKING OUT MY R WINDOW, I SAW THE HEAD-ON VIEW OF A COMMUTER AIRLINER, POSSIBLY AN ATR42. THE COMMUTER PASSED BEHIND US AT APPROX THE SAME ALT (IE, HE WAS NOT 500 FT ABOVE OR BELOW -- HE WAS AT 3000 FT). I AM NOT CONFIDENT IN THIS ESTIMATE, BUT I SUPPOSE THE SEPARATION WAS ABOUT 1/2 MI, DIRECTLY PERPENDICULAR. THE ATR DID NOT APPEAR TO ALTER COURSE AT ALL. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BECAUSE HE HAD US ON TCASII OR VISUALLY OR WHAT. I AM NOT SURE IF ANY FARS WERE BROKEN, AND I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT IF THEY WERE, I'M PERSONALLY NOT RESPONSIBLE (FOR VFR TFC SEPARATION WHILE UNDER THE HOOD). NEVERTHELESS, THIS INCIDENT HAD A NUMBER OF SALIENT FEATURES THAT I FELT SHOULD BE RPTED.

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.