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.

Google
 

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.