Narrative:

I was involved in dropping skydivers. The winds aloft were 3000 ft 090 degrees at 13 KTS, 6000 ft 090 degrees 18 KTS, 9000 ft 100 degrees 18 KTS, 12000 ft 100 degrees 18 KTS. This made me fly a 040 degree jump run. There was a scattered layer of clouds at around 4000 ft. So I proceeded to drop the jumpers. I did not think that the clouds were going to effect the jumpers so I dropped them. From my view of the aircraft, no jumpers penetrated any clouds. There were 13 jumpers and I started to drop them far enough away from any danger from clouds. Because of the wind direction and speed, the jumpers in free fall should have stayed clear of all clouds. When I landed, an FAA inspector confronted me and accused me of dropping through clouds. I do not see how this was possible. I could not prove or guarantee that they did not penetrate clouds, but from my point of view they did not. I think that future problems can be resolved if there would be a form of identify possible problems or clouds which would cause this from happening or WX reporting equipment that can prove that the area was clear. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter and airport personnel do not know the position from which the FAA inspector claims to have witnessed skydiving activities through clouds. It is his opinion that the FAA inspector's angular perception may have been such that several clouds appeared as one. All 13 skydivers have submitted letters stating that they had remained clear clouds during the descent. It is the reporter's opinion that the residents in the immediate area are trying to halt all operations from the airport. These residents frequently call the FAA trying to enlist support in closing the airport and may have been a factor in this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FAA INSPECTOR CLAIMED A PLT DROPPED SKYDIVERS IN AN AREA WHERE THEY ENTERED CLOUDS NEAR VRB.

Narrative: I WAS INVOLVED IN DROPPING SKYDIVERS. THE WINDS ALOFT WERE 3000 FT 090 DEGS AT 13 KTS, 6000 FT 090 DEGS 18 KTS, 9000 FT 100 DEGS 18 KTS, 12000 FT 100 DEGS 18 KTS. THIS MADE ME FLY A 040 DEG JUMP RUN. THERE WAS A SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS AT AROUND 4000 FT. SO I PROCEEDED TO DROP THE JUMPERS. I DID NOT THINK THAT THE CLOUDS WERE GOING TO EFFECT THE JUMPERS SO I DROPPED THEM. FROM MY VIEW OF THE ACFT, NO JUMPERS PENETRATED ANY CLOUDS. THERE WERE 13 JUMPERS AND I STARTED TO DROP THEM FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM ANY DANGER FROM CLOUDS. BECAUSE OF THE WIND DIRECTION AND SPD, THE JUMPERS IN FREE FALL SHOULD HAVE STAYED CLR OF ALL CLOUDS. WHEN I LANDED, AN FAA INSPECTOR CONFRONTED ME AND ACCUSED ME OF DROPPING THROUGH CLOUDS. I DO NOT SEE HOW THIS WAS POSSIBLE. I COULD NOT PROVE OR GUARANTEE THAT THEY DID NOT PENETRATE CLOUDS, BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW THEY DID NOT. I THINK THAT FUTURE PROBS CAN BE RESOLVED IF THERE WOULD BE A FORM OF IDENT POSSIBLE PROBS OR CLOUDS WHICH WOULD CAUSE THIS FROM HAPPENING OR WX RPTING EQUIP THAT CAN PROVE THAT THE AREA WAS CLR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR AND ARPT PERSONNEL DO NOT KNOW THE POS FROM WHICH THE FAA INSPECTOR CLAIMS TO HAVE WITNESSED SKYDIVING ACTIVITIES THROUGH CLOUDS. IT IS HIS OPINION THAT THE FAA INSPECTOR'S ANGULAR PERCEPTION MAY HAVE BEEN SUCH THAT SEVERAL CLOUDS APPEARED AS ONE. ALL 13 SKYDIVERS HAVE SUBMITTED LETTERS STATING THAT THEY HAD REMAINED CLR CLOUDS DURING THE DSCNT. IT IS THE RPTR'S OPINION THAT THE RESIDENTS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA ARE TRYING TO HALT ALL OPS FROM THE ARPT. THESE RESIDENTS FREQUENTLY CALL THE FAA TRYING TO ENLIST SUPPORT IN CLOSING THE ARPT AND MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THIS EVENT.

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.