Midair between two small transport aircraft in a four small transport parachute drop formation.

Attributes
ACN	164151
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ded
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 14500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dab
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 4472
ASRS Report	164151
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	164152
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were conducting skydiving operations using four aircraft in formation flight. Small transport west, small transport X, small transport Y, small transport Z. The small transport west and small transport Y climbed up together while the small transport Y and small transport Z climbed up together we were to meet up at 14500' over the airport drop zone. As I lined up the jump run with the small transport X the small transport Z on my left was to give room for the small transport west to fly through the middle and take the lead with the small transport Y off the right of the small transport west, small transport Z off the left of the small transport west. I lined it up on jump run, and started watching for the small transport west. The small transport Y moved into the lead just as planned but their was no sign of the small transport west. I kept looking left for the small transport west when some of the jumpers started telling me to go right. I eased the small transport X right slowly still looking left when the small transport west came over the top of my left wing sinking downward trying to leap frog me. I didn't see him until his tail was right in my windshield descending and bumping my nose causing minor damage to it and minor damage to his tail section. No one was hurt or injured in the incident but it was very close. After landing maintenance persons inspected the aircraft while the pilots debriefed what had happened. After reviewing the atm we determined that we should report the incident to the NTSB and FAA. I believe this could have been avoided by better communications between participating aircraft. We were talking plane to plane on 123.45 the small transport west pilot said often, that he thought he didn't have room to come up my left side, all he had to do is say go right a little. Anything, but elected to try a dangerous maneuver by leap frogging me. I told him later that he had broken both rules of flying formation. Not to have a high closure speed, always keep the other aircraft in sight. I think this incident occurred because of lack of experience and we are all lucky to be alive.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIDAIR BETWEEN TWO SMT ACFT IN A FOUR SMT PARACHUTE DROP FORMATION.

Narrative: WE WERE CONDUCTING SKYDIVING OPS USING FOUR ACFT IN FORMATION FLT. SMT W, SMT X, SMT Y, SMT Z. THE SMT W AND SMT Y CLBED UP TOGETHER WHILE THE SMT Y AND SMT Z CLBED UP TOGETHER WE WERE TO MEET UP AT 14500' OVER THE ARPT DROP ZONE. AS I LINED UP THE JUMP RUN WITH THE SMT X THE SMT Z ON MY L WAS TO GIVE ROOM FOR THE SMT W TO FLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE AND TAKE THE LEAD WITH THE SMT Y OFF THE R OF THE SMT W, SMT Z OFF THE L OF THE SMT W. I LINED IT UP ON JUMP RUN, AND STARTED WATCHING FOR THE SMT W. THE SMT Y MOVED INTO THE LEAD JUST AS PLANNED BUT THEIR WAS NO SIGN OF THE SMT W. I KEPT LOOKING LEFT FOR THE SMT W WHEN SOME OF THE JUMPERS STARTED TELLING ME TO GO R. I EASED THE SMT X R SLOWLY STILL LOOKING LEFT WHEN THE SMT W CAME OVER THE TOP OF MY L WING SINKING DOWNWARD TRYING TO LEAP FROG ME. I DIDN'T SEE HIM UNTIL HIS TAIL WAS R IN MY WINDSHIELD DSNDING AND BUMPING MY NOSE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO IT AND MINOR DAMAGE TO HIS TAIL SECTION. NO ONE WAS HURT OR INJURED IN THE INCIDENT BUT IT WAS VERY CLOSE. AFTER LNDG MAINT PERSONS INSPECTED THE ACFT WHILE THE PLTS DEBRIEFED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AFTER REVIEWING THE ATM WE DETERMINED THAT WE SHOULD RPT THE INCIDENT TO THE NTSB AND FAA. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY BETTER COMS BTWN PARTICIPATING ACFT. WE WERE TALKING PLANE TO PLANE ON 123.45 THE SMT W PLT SAID OFTEN, THAT HE THOUGHT HE DIDN'T HAVE ROOM TO COME UP MY L SIDE, ALL HE HAD TO DO IS SAY GO RIGHT A LITTLE. ANYTHING, BUT ELECTED TO TRY A DANGEROUS MANEUVER BY LEAP FROGGING ME. I TOLD HIM LATER THAT HE HAD BROKEN BOTH RULES OF FLYING FORMATION. NOT TO HAVE A HIGH CLOSURE SPD, ALWAYS KEEP THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT. I THINK THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND WE ARE ALL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

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.