<< >> NASA ASRS Report 410907, August 1998

TRACON controller extends himself to resolve dual paradrop activity when none is required. Controller sites two instances during an operation shift when he perceived he needed to intervene to resolve sits.

Attributes
ACN	410907
Time
Date	199808
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aco airport : 4g3
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	410907
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft #2 departing from 4g3, VFR advisories to let parachute jumpers out at 12500 ft. ZOB denied services due to traffic. 12500 ft is above my altitudes. I terminated radar service. Jump is in class east airspace -- no authority/authorized needed for jump. Aircraft #1 departing 4g3 (same parachute school as I understand it) to let jumpers out at 4500 ft (X3). I gave radar service and advised of company jump aircraft above him and asked if he had communication with that aircraft -- he said no. #1 advised 1 min before jump. I had no traffic below him. I advised him I no longer knew position of #2, but I thought he appeared to be 'setting-up' to jump also. #1 acknowledged and continued with his jump. Perhaps seconds before #1 jumped I advised him what I thought was #2 was descending. He immediately turned 90 degrees and left the jump area. I believe it is extremely unsafe for multiple aircraft to be using the same 'drop zone' for parachute jumpers, at the same time without having radio communication to coordinate their jumping sequence independently of ATC. The perception that ATC will coordinate their jump sequence is erroneous and could lead to fatalities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR EXTENDS HIMSELF TO RESOLVE DUAL PARADROP ACTIVITY WHEN NONE IS REQUIRED. CTLR SITES TWO INSTANCES DURING AN OP SHIFT WHEN HE PERCEIVED HE NEEDED TO INTERVENE TO RESOLVE SITS.

Narrative: ACFT #2 DEPARTING FROM 4G3, VFR ADVISORIES TO LET PARACHUTE JUMPERS OUT AT 12500 FT. ZOB DENIED SVCS DUE TO TFC. 12500 FT IS ABOVE MY ALTS. I TERMINATED RADAR SVC. JUMP IS IN CLASS E AIRSPACE -- NO AUTH NEEDED FOR JUMP. ACFT #1 DEPARTING 4G3 (SAME PARACHUTE SCHOOL AS I UNDERSTAND IT) TO LET JUMPERS OUT AT 4500 FT (X3). I GAVE RADAR SVC AND ADVISED OF COMPANY JUMP ACFT ABOVE HIM AND ASKED IF HE HAD COM WITH THAT ACFT -- HE SAID NO. #1 ADVISED 1 MIN BEFORE JUMP. I HAD NO TFC BELOW HIM. I ADVISED HIM I NO LONGER KNEW POS OF #2, BUT I THOUGHT HE APPEARED TO BE 'SETTING-UP' TO JUMP ALSO. #1 ACKNOWLEDGED AND CONTINUED WITH HIS JUMP. PERHAPS SECONDS BEFORE #1 JUMPED I ADVISED HIM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS #2 WAS DSNDING. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED 90 DEGS AND LEFT THE JUMP AREA. I BELIEVE IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR MULTIPLE ACFT TO BE USING THE SAME 'DROP ZONE' FOR PARACHUTE JUMPERS, AT THE SAME TIME WITHOUT HAVING RADIO COM TO COORDINATE THEIR JUMPING SEQUENCE INDEPENDENTLY OF ATC. THE PERCEPTION THAT ATC WILL COORDINATE THEIR JUMP SEQUENCE IS ERRONEOUS AND COULD LEAD TO FATALITIES.

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.