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Skydiving operation pilot allows jump in vicinity of clouds which causes far WX conduct violation rules.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 528438 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hdh.airport |
| State Reference | HI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 13500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : charter |
| Make Model Name | King Air 100 A/B |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 528438 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were conducting skydiving operations. The area was cloudy but VFR conditions existed about 1-2 NM east of the drop zone. Although the area directly over the drop zone was overcast, the plan was to let the skydivers exit 2 NM away in VFR conditions. Since the ceiling was high enough, they could then fly their canopies under it while maintaining VFR. However, as they flew under the cloud layer, some of the parachutes were being sucked up into the cloud layer. Apparently, they flew their canopies into a strong underdraft. Fortunately, the updraft, while strong, was fairly localized, so they were able to fly out of it and land safely. In retrospect, we should not have let the skydivers jump as there were some towering cumulus buildups around the area. Next time, given similar conditions, I would keep everyone on the ground.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SKYDIVING OP PLT ALLOWS JUMP IN VICINITY OF CLOUDS WHICH CAUSES FAR WX CONDUCT VIOLATION RULES.
Narrative: WE WERE CONDUCTING SKYDIVING OPS. THE AREA WAS CLOUDY BUT VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED ABOUT 1-2 NM E OF THE DROP ZONE. ALTHOUGH THE AREA DIRECTLY OVER THE DROP ZONE WAS OVCST, THE PLAN WAS TO LET THE SKYDIVERS EXIT 2 NM AWAY IN VFR CONDITIONS. SINCE THE CEILING WAS HIGH ENOUGH, THEY COULD THEN FLY THEIR CANOPIES UNDER IT WHILE MAINTAINING VFR. HOWEVER, AS THEY FLEW UNDER THE CLOUD LAYER, SOME OF THE PARACHUTES WERE BEING SUCKED UP INTO THE CLOUD LAYER. APPARENTLY, THEY FLEW THEIR CANOPIES INTO A STRONG UNDERDRAFT. FORTUNATELY, THE UPDRAFT, WHILE STRONG, WAS FAIRLY LOCALIZED, SO THEY WERE ABLE TO FLY OUT OF IT AND LAND SAFELY. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE LET THE SKYDIVERS JUMP AS THERE WERE SOME TOWERING CUMULUS BUILDUPS AROUND THE AREA. NEXT TIME, GIVEN SIMILAR CONDITIONS, I WOULD KEEP EVERYONE ON THE GND.
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.