Narrative:

We were on the end of a cross country training flight. We had just practiced the diversion technique and I was giving instruction to my student. We had both been keeping a good eye out for traffic that day because it was a great WX day for flying and was the first good day in a few days and knew that there would probably be a fair amount of traffic around. We both looked down in the cockpit for what seemed like just a min and then looked up to see an aircraft slightly higher than we were and just off to our right passing in front of our aircraft. I quickly took the controls and started an immediate descent. I am not sure if the other aircraft ever did see us as he never seemed to take any action. I know the rules say that aircraft on the right have the right-of-way and I do know and understand that. This was just a timing error on my part when I decided to look in the cockpit for just a min. On future flts spending as much time outside as possible is a much better idea; and do the best one can do with balancing work inside the cockpit with work outside as well. Another possible solution is to use ATC and get advisories when possible. I should have done that.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 INSTRUCTOR PILOT REPORTS NEAR MISS WITH ANOTHER LIGHT ACFT AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF INATTENTION DURING TRAINING.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE END OF A XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT. WE HAD JUST PRACTICED THE DIVERSION TECHNIQUE AND I WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION TO MY STUDENT. WE HAD BOTH BEEN KEEPING A GOOD EYE OUT FOR TFC THAT DAY BECAUSE IT WAS A GREAT WX DAY FOR FLYING AND WAS THE FIRST GOOD DAY IN A FEW DAYS AND KNEW THAT THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TFC AROUND. WE BOTH LOOKED DOWN IN THE COCKPIT FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE JUST A MIN AND THEN LOOKED UP TO SEE AN ACFT SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WE WERE AND JUST OFF TO OUR R PASSING IN FRONT OF OUR ACFT. I QUICKLY TOOK THE CTLS AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. I AM NOT SURE IF THE OTHER ACFT EVER DID SEE US AS HE NEVER SEEMED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I KNOW THE RULES SAY THAT ACFT ON THE R HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND I DO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT. THIS WAS JUST A TIMING ERROR ON MY PART WHEN I DECIDED TO LOOK IN THE COCKPIT FOR JUST A MIN. ON FUTURE FLTS SPENDING AS MUCH TIME OUTSIDE AS POSSIBLE IS A MUCH BETTER IDEA; AND DO THE BEST ONE CAN DO WITH BALANCING WORK INSIDE THE COCKPIT WITH WORK OUTSIDE AS WELL. ANOTHER POSSIBLE SOLUTION IS TO USE ATC AND GET ADVISORIES WHEN POSSIBLE. I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.