Air carrier came in close proximity to 2 parachute aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	119801
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hdf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	119800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During descent to sna we were handed off to ont for transiting their area. Clearance for descent from 14,000 to 10,000 was received from los angeles center. The controller asked if several aircraft were with him, then immediately asked us to level off at 12,500 and turn right 20 degree to avoid an active parachute jump area over the airway. A jump aircraft passed 500' above and 1 mile horizontal and a spotter aircraft passed 400-500' below and 1/2 mi to the left. The controller then assigned us a heading to intercept the seal beach (sli) 075 degree radial and descend us to 10,000. Our presence on the airway and intrusion into the jump area seemed to be a total surprise to the controller. He was uncertain of what to do with us or how we got thee. A phone conversation with the facility indicated training was in progress and that a heading should have been assigned to us at bands intersection or before taking us off of the assigned route and away from the jump area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO 2 PARACHUTE ACFT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT TO SNA WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ONT FOR TRANSITING THEIR AREA. CLRNC FOR DSCNT FROM 14,000 TO 10,000 WAS RECEIVED FROM LOS ANGELES CENTER. THE CTLR ASKED IF SEVERAL ACFT WERE WITH HIM, THEN IMMEDIATELY ASKED US TO LEVEL OFF AT 12,500 AND TURN RIGHT 20 DEG TO AVOID AN ACTIVE PARACHUTE JUMP AREA OVER THE AIRWAY. A JUMP ACFT PASSED 500' ABOVE AND 1 MILE HORIZ AND A SPOTTER ACFT PASSED 400-500' BELOW AND 1/2 MI TO THE LEFT. THE CTLR THEN ASSIGNED US A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE SEAL BEACH (SLI) 075 DEG RADIAL AND DSND US TO 10,000. OUR PRESENCE ON THE AIRWAY AND INTRUSION INTO THE JUMP AREA SEEMED TO BE A TOTAL SURPRISE TO THE CTLR. HE WAS UNCERTAIN OF WHAT TO DO WITH US OR HOW WE GOT THEE. A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE FAC INDICATED TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS AND THAT A HDG SHOULD HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO US AT BANDS INTXN OR BEFORE TAKING US OFF OF THE ASSIGNED ROUTE AND AWAY FROM THE JUMP AREA.

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.