Air carrier X TCASII TA refused clearance due to conflict with parachute jump aircraft Y.

Attributes
ACN	219848
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aco
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : pit
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	219848
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X on descent into pit (level at 10000), cleared direct mmj after cutta -- received TCASII alert at cutta indicating direct mmj would provide conflict. We continued on 125 degree heading (approximately) to avoid aircraft Y. We later found out this was a jump aircraft Y with parachutists jumping through our altitude. The controller questioned our course. We informed him that the assigned course would provide conflict. He then asked us if we could see the aircraft Y and if the jumpers were out. We had not been previously notified of jumping in progress. He then assigned a 180 degree heading, putting us directly in conflict with jump aircraft Y again. The captain refused to accept the turn. By this time, we had the conflict visually, and were able to circumnav. Controller needed to inform us of presence of parachutists. They should not be jumping through the flight path of jet aircraft on heavily traveled arrival route into major airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA REFUSED CLRNC DUE TO CONFLICT WITH PARACHUTE JUMP ACFT Y.

Narrative: ACR X ON DSCNT INTO PIT (LEVEL AT 10000), CLRED DIRECT MMJ AFTER CUTTA -- RECEIVED TCASII ALERT AT CUTTA INDICATING DIRECT MMJ WOULD PROVIDE CONFLICT. WE CONTINUED ON 125 DEG HDG (APPROX) TO AVOID ACFT Y. WE LATER FOUND OUT THIS WAS A JUMP ACFT Y WITH PARACHUTISTS JUMPING THROUGH OUR ALT. THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR COURSE. WE INFORMED HIM THAT THE ASSIGNED COURSE WOULD PROVIDE CONFLICT. HE THEN ASKED US IF WE COULD SEE THE ACFT Y AND IF THE JUMPERS WERE OUT. WE HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY NOTIFIED OF JUMPING IN PROGRESS. HE THEN ASSIGNED A 180 DEG HDG, PUTTING US DIRECTLY IN CONFLICT WITH JUMP ACFT Y AGAIN. THE CAPT REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE TURN. BY THIS TIME, WE HAD THE CONFLICT VISUALLY, AND WERE ABLE TO CIRCUMNAV. CTLR NEEDED TO INFORM US OF PRESENCE OF PARACHUTISTS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE JUMPING THROUGH THE FLT PATH OF JET ACFT ON HEAVILY TRAVELED ARR RTE INTO MAJOR ARPT.

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.