Private pilot of small transport aircraft took evasive action to avoid parachuting activity.

Attributes
ACN	215818
Time
Date	199207
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ptw airport : rdg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 438 flight time type : 44
ASRS Report	215818
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I called flight service for a briefing at XA30Z to leave reading, PA (rdg) and return to N54 (langhorne, PA) VFR. Briefing called for VFR conditions, nothing on radar in the area or along the route. NOTAM for parachute jumping on ptw VOR radial 264 at 14.8 DME was issued. I departed reading with ATC advisory service and flew eastbound intending to pass well north of ptw VOR. A handoff to philadelphia approach was not accepted, so I went to squawk 1200. I called philadelphia approach and they accepted me for ATC advisory. Shortly thereafter, they advised 'numerous jumpers 12 O'clock and 3 mi' to my surprise. I couldn't see any jumpers since sky conditions were approximately 3000-3500 scattered with a higher overcast. I asked for a vector to avoid which was to turn north. I then saw the chutes and guess we missed by 2 mi. Hard to tell horizontal separation. I queried philadelphia approach saying I had been told they would be on 264 degree radial, 14.8 mi from ptw. He confirmed they were on 360 degree radial, 10 mi. While this activity is perfectly legal, if philadelphia approach had not accepted me for ATC advisory, 2 mins later we would have been a lot closer. I'm uncomfortable about such jumpers. Should more be done to regulate jumping?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT OF SMT ACFT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID PARACHUTING ACTIVITY.

Narrative: I CALLED FLT SVC FOR A BRIEFING AT XA30Z TO LEAVE READING, PA (RDG) AND RETURN TO N54 (LANGHORNE, PA) VFR. BRIEFING CALLED FOR VFR CONDITIONS, NOTHING ON RADAR IN THE AREA OR ALONG THE RTE. NOTAM FOR PARACHUTE JUMPING ON PTW VOR RADIAL 264 AT 14.8 DME WAS ISSUED. I DEPARTED READING WITH ATC ADVISORY SVC AND FLEW EBOUND INTENDING TO PASS WELL N OF PTW VOR. A HDOF TO PHILADELPHIA APCH WAS NOT ACCEPTED, SO I WENT TO SQUAWK 1200. I CALLED PHILADELPHIA APCH AND THEY ACCEPTED ME FOR ATC ADVISORY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY ADVISED 'NUMEROUS JUMPERS 12 O'CLOCK AND 3 MI' TO MY SURPRISE. I COULDN'T SEE ANY JUMPERS SINCE SKY CONDITIONS WERE APPROX 3000-3500 SCATTERED WITH A HIGHER OVCST. I ASKED FOR A VECTOR TO AVOID WHICH WAS TO TURN N. I THEN SAW THE CHUTES AND GUESS WE MISSED BY 2 MI. HARD TO TELL HORIZ SEPARATION. I QUERIED PHILADELPHIA APCH SAYING I HAD BEEN TOLD THEY WOULD BE ON 264 DEG RADIAL, 14.8 MI FROM PTW. HE CONFIRMED THEY WERE ON 360 DEG RADIAL, 10 MI. WHILE THIS ACTIVITY IS PERFECTLY LEGAL, IF PHILADELPHIA APCH HAD NOT ACCEPTED ME FOR ATC ADVISORY, 2 MINS LATER WE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT CLOSER. I'M UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT SUCH JUMPERS. SHOULD MORE BE DONE TO REGULATE JUMPING?

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.