A pilot conducted skydiving operations above the notamed altitude at 3HO.

Attributes
ACN	450188
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3h0.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 502 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	450188
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was my first day flying at a new drop zone and one of the skydivers told me that our NOTAM existed up to 14500 ft MSL. When I called flight service, I opened the NOTAM without reviewing it. During the day, my radios failed. I telephoned approach and was told to squawk XXXX. Ceilings and visibility were unlimited so it was easy to see and avoid other aircraft. I continued flying. On jump run, I fly the aircraft at partial power and a steady descent. This requires leveling off at the next highest VFR cruising altitude or 11500 ft MSL. At the end of the day, I got a telephone call from chicago TRACON. It turned out that my NOTAM only went up to 10000 ft MSL. I was foolish to trust the word of some skydiver I had never met before. Next time, I'll get more information from FSS when I open a NOTAM. If I ever need to call approach for permission to fly, I'll make sure I hear the words 'you are authority/authorized/cleared.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT CONDUCTED SKYDIVING OPS ABOVE THE NOTAMED ALT AT 3HO.

Narrative: IT WAS MY FIRST DAY FLYING AT A NEW DROP ZONE AND ONE OF THE SKYDIVERS TOLD ME THAT OUR NOTAM EXISTED UP TO 14500 FT MSL. WHEN I CALLED FLT SVC, I OPENED THE NOTAM WITHOUT REVIEWING IT. DURING THE DAY, MY RADIOS FAILED. I TELEPHONED APCH AND WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK XXXX. CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY WERE UNLIMITED SO IT WAS EASY TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER ACFT. I CONTINUED FLYING. ON JUMP RUN, I FLY THE ACFT AT PARTIAL PWR AND A STEADY DSCNT. THIS REQUIRES LEVELING OFF AT THE NEXT HIGHEST VFR CRUISING ALT OR 11500 FT MSL. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I GOT A TELEPHONE CALL FROM CHICAGO TRACON. IT TURNED OUT THAT MY NOTAM ONLY WENT UP TO 10000 FT MSL. I WAS FOOLISH TO TRUST THE WORD OF SOME SKYDIVER I HAD NEVER MET BEFORE. NEXT TIME, I'LL GET MORE INFO FROM FSS WHEN I OPEN A NOTAM. IF I EVER NEED TO CALL APCH FOR PERMISSION TO FLY, I'LL MAKE SURE I HEAR THE WORDS 'YOU ARE AUTH/CLRED.'

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.