<< >> NASA ASRS Report 550200, June 2002

Beech king air 100 pilot learned, after the fact, that parachute jumpers had jumped without his permission through cloud layer.

Attributes
ACN	550200
Time
Date	200206
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdh.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4040 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	550200
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

We were conducting skydiving operations. On one jump run, I determined that the drop zone was not in VFR conditions. The jumpmaster wanted me to slow down the aircraft by lowering the flaps and reducing power. I refused to do so and began to turn away from the drop zone. Although I was still flying fast, the jumpmaster cleared 2 people to jump. They exited the aircraft and skydived into the clouds. There was nothing I could do at that point. I descended and landed immediately. I spoke with the jumpmaster and told him not to do that again. I also spoke with the owner of the company and told him that we cannot allow things like this to happen again. In the future, I have decided that I will not be near the drop zone unless it is clear. Normally, we would do a recon flight over the drop zone to check the WX prior to the drop. From now on, I check on the drop zone area from much further away.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH KING AIR 100 PLT LEARNED, AFTER THE FACT, THAT PARACHUTE JUMPERS HAD JUMPED WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION THROUGH CLOUD LAYER.

Narrative: WE WERE CONDUCTING SKYDIVING OPS. ON ONE JUMP RUN, I DETERMINED THAT THE DROP ZONE WAS NOT IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE JUMPMASTER WANTED ME TO SLOW DOWN THE ACFT BY LOWERING THE FLAPS AND REDUCING PWR. I REFUSED TO DO SO AND BEGAN TO TURN AWAY FROM THE DROP ZONE. ALTHOUGH I WAS STILL FLYING FAST, THE JUMPMASTER CLRED 2 PEOPLE TO JUMP. THEY EXITED THE ACFT AND SKYDIVED INTO THE CLOUDS. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AT THAT POINT. I DESCENDED AND LANDED IMMEDIATELY. I SPOKE WITH THE JUMPMASTER AND TOLD HIM NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN. I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY AND TOLD HIM THAT WE CANNOT ALLOW THINGS LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IN THE FUTURE, I HAVE DECIDED THAT I WILL NOT BE NEAR THE DROP ZONE UNLESS IT IS CLEAR. NORMALLY, WE WOULD DO A RECON FLT OVER THE DROP ZONE TO CHK THE WX PRIOR TO THE DROP. FROM NOW ON, I CHK ON THE DROP ZONE AREA FROM MUCH FURTHER AWAY.

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.