Narrative:

We were descending in excellent VMC on an IFR flight plan into swf (from filps intersection). When we were still west of the ridgeline near the glider port at 6000 ft, I had a clear view of swf and asked my first officer to 'call' the airport insight. At that time, new york approach cleared us for the visual approach in to runway 27 at swf. At that point, I disengaged the autoplt and began descending and turning toward swf. As we passed gardner airport (to its north) I noticed a cessna below me which I presumed was heading into orange county and a twin otter above me by about 1500 ft. I commented on the otter to my first officer who immediately exclaimed there was a person descending in front of us. My first officer insisted vehemently on my making a hard left turn. I complied and alerted (as we were clear of our conflict visually) new york approach. Both my first officer and I were quite shaken. After we landed, I called swf tower to clarify details. I wish I could say what I might have done differently, however, this is an area where I have previously altered course 'last min' to avoid hang gliders and I'm usually vigorously 'outside' the cockpit in this area. This time, my first officer's outside scan was what allowed us to avoid a mishap.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A FOKKER 100 TAKES EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A SKYDIVER DURING A VISUAL DSCNT AT 4000 FT AGL IN AN AREA OF KNOWN SKYDIVER ACTIVITY.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING IN EXCELLENT VMC ON AN IFR FLT PLAN INTO SWF (FROM FILPS INTXN). WHEN WE WERE STILL W OF THE RIDGELINE NEAR THE GLIDER PORT AT 6000 FT, I HAD A CLR VIEW OF SWF AND ASKED MY FO TO 'CALL' THE ARPT INSIGHT. AT THAT TIME, NEW YORK APCH CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH IN TO RWY 27 AT SWF. AT THAT POINT, I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN DSNDING AND TURNING TOWARD SWF. AS WE PASSED GARDNER ARPT (TO ITS N) I NOTICED A CESSNA BELOW ME WHICH I PRESUMED WAS HDG INTO ORANGE COUNTY AND A TWIN OTTER ABOVE ME BY ABOUT 1500 FT. I COMMENTED ON THE OTTER TO MY FO WHO IMMEDIATELY EXCLAIMED THERE WAS A PERSON DSNDING IN FRONT OF US. MY FO INSISTED VEHEMENTLY ON MY MAKING A HARD L TURN. I COMPLIED AND ALERTED (AS WE WERE CLR OF OUR CONFLICT VISUALLY) NEW YORK APCH. BOTH MY FO AND I WERE QUITE SHAKEN. AFTER WE LANDED, I CALLED SWF TWR TO CLARIFY DETAILS. I WISH I COULD SAY WHAT I MIGHT HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY, HOWEVER, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I HAVE PREVIOUSLY ALTERED COURSE 'LAST MIN' TO AVOID HANG GLIDERS AND I'M USUALLY VIGOROUSLY 'OUTSIDE' THE COCKPIT IN THIS AREA. THIS TIME, MY FO'S OUTSIDE SCAN WAS WHAT ALLOWED US TO AVOID A MISHAP.

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.