Pilot of DHC6 contract skydive operation discovers that his prior day's jump group had several reser...

Attributes
ACN	598684
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : p08.airport
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Twin Otter DHC-6
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 105
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	598684
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I fly for a skydive operation in the united states. We (aircraft and pilots) are leased out to other drop zones from time to time. As part of the agreement and due to time and practicality, we delegate the PIC duty of ensuring the parachutists reserve re-packs are within date to the manifest people at the drop zone. On nov/sat/03, I flew at a drop zone on a 1-DAY contract. The next day a fellow pilot flew the same contract and came to find out that several jumpers' reserve parachute re-pack dates were overdue. I am sure that I had some of these jumpers on my aircraft. It is impossible for the PIC to check every jumper's reserve re-pack date, as we usually fly all day (literally -- hot fueling every 2 hours) with 23 people on each load (twin otter). We have to rely on the drop zone manifest personnel to check that the reserve re-pack is not out of date when each jumper checks in at the beginning of the day. Most drop zones are great about this, but some people slip through the cracks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF DHC6 CONTRACT SKYDIVE OP DISCOVERS THAT HIS PRIOR DAY'S JUMP GROUP HAD SEVERAL RESERVE PARACHUTES WITH RE-PACK PERIODS THAT WERE OUT OF DATE.

Narrative: I FLY FOR A SKYDIVE OP IN THE UNITED STATES. WE (ACFT AND PLTS) ARE LEASED OUT TO OTHER DROP ZONES FROM TIME TO TIME. AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT AND DUE TO TIME AND PRACTICALITY, WE DELEGATE THE PIC DUTY OF ENSURING THE PARACHUTISTS RESERVE RE-PACKS ARE WITHIN DATE TO THE MANIFEST PEOPLE AT THE DROP ZONE. ON NOV/SAT/03, I FLEW AT A DROP ZONE ON A 1-DAY CONTRACT. THE NEXT DAY A FELLOW PLT FLEW THE SAME CONTRACT AND CAME TO FIND OUT THAT SEVERAL JUMPERS' RESERVE PARACHUTE RE-PACK DATES WERE OVERDUE. I AM SURE THAT I HAD SOME OF THESE JUMPERS ON MY ACFT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PIC TO CHK EVERY JUMPER'S RESERVE RE-PACK DATE, AS WE USUALLY FLY ALL DAY (LITERALLY -- HOT FUELING EVERY 2 HRS) WITH 23 PEOPLE ON EACH LOAD (TWIN OTTER). WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE DROP ZONE MANIFEST PERSONNEL TO CHK THAT THE RESERVE RE-PACK IS NOT OUT OF DATE WHEN EACH JUMPER CHKS IN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY. MOST DROP ZONES ARE GREAT ABOUT THIS, BUT SOME PEOPLE SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS.

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.

Pilot of DHC6 contract skydive operation discovers that his prior day's jump group had several reserve parachutes with re-pack periods that were out of date.