GA small aircraft pilot flew a skydive flight over a cloud layer and jumpers did a free fall through...

Attributes
ACN	119157
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : buf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	119157
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying skydivers along side a broken clock layer 1500-2000' lower on right side, clear to left, jumper in charge of 'spotting' (exit location) was informed of the need to stay well clear of clouds. The jumper asked for slight right turn then delayed too long before exiting the aircraft. This allowed the jumpers to enter the side of the undercast for about 1000' of free fall, compromising VFR cloud separation. Jumpers must be made more aware of the importance of VFR cloud separation and pilots must expect jumpers to make errors and allow larger margins of error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT FLEW A SKYDIVE FLT OVER A CLOUD LAYER AND JUMPERS DID A FREE FALL THROUGH THE CLOUD.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING SKYDIVERS ALONG SIDE A BROKEN CLOCK LAYER 1500-2000' LOWER ON RIGHT SIDE, CLEAR TO LEFT, JUMPER IN CHARGE OF 'SPOTTING' (EXIT LOCATION) WAS INFORMED OF THE NEED TO STAY WELL CLEAR OF CLOUDS. THE JUMPER ASKED FOR SLIGHT RIGHT TURN THEN DELAYED TOO LONG BEFORE EXITING THE ACFT. THIS ALLOWED THE JUMPERS TO ENTER THE SIDE OF THE UNDERCAST FOR ABOUT 1000' OF FREE FALL, COMPROMISING VFR CLOUD SEPARATION. JUMPERS MUST BE MADE MORE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF VFR CLOUD SEPARATION AND PLTS MUST EXPECT JUMPERS TO MAKE ERRORS AND ALLOW LARGER MARGINS OF ERROR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

GA small aircraft pilot flew a skydive flight over a cloud layer and jumpers did a free fall through the cloud.