A descending A320 flight, thanks to a save by TCASII, narrowly avoids an opposite direction skydiving aircraft who started dropping their parachutists as their aircraft passed under the air carrier who had climbed to 15500 ft 32 mi northwest of atl, GA.

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Attributes
ACN	529451
Time
Date	200111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	529451
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	529455
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : skydivers non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

On radar vector 180 degree heading, 15000 ft, with ZTL off rome arrival for a left base runway 8L. Got clearance to descend from 15000 ft to 13000 ft direct dalas. Approximately 14500 ft we got a TA at 1 O'clock position. The first officer slowed the descent as we tried to get a visual. No traffic alert was issued by ATC. We then got an RA which we complied with and climbed to 15500 ft. We picked the traffic up in the climb, opposite direction, and passed under our nose with parachuters exiting the aircraft. I told center we responded to an RA, we were passed to approach and I told them about the RA and was told they were looking into it. Approach and landing was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DSNDING A320 FLT, THANKS TO A SAVE BY TCASII, NARROWLY AVOIDS AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION SKYDIVING ACFT WHO STARTED DROPPING THEIR PARACHUTISTS AS THEIR ACFT PASSED UNDER THE ACR WHO HAD CLBED TO 15500 FT 32 MI NW OF ATL, GA.

Narrative: ON RADAR VECTOR 180 DEG HDG, 15000 FT, WITH ZTL OFF ROME ARR FOR A L BASE RWY 8L. GOT CLRNC TO DSND FROM 15000 FT TO 13000 FT DIRECT DALAS. APPROX 14500 FT WE GOT A TA AT 1 O'CLOCK POS. THE FO SLOWED THE DSCNT AS WE TRIED TO GET A VISUAL. NO TFC ALERT WAS ISSUED BY ATC. WE THEN GOT AN RA WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH AND CLBED TO 15500 FT. WE PICKED THE TFC UP IN THE CLB, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND PASSED UNDER OUR NOSE WITH PARACHUTERS EXITING THE ACFT. I TOLD CTR WE RESPONDED TO AN RA, WE WERE PASSED TO APCH AND I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE RA AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE LOOKING INTO IT. APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.