Cessna pilot, with a glider under tow, encountered skydivers above his aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	601646
Time
Date	200312
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdh.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 105
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	601646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : skydivers non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

We took off on runway 8 with a glider in tow. We departed the traffic pattern with a right turnout and then proceeded to cross over the runway at 1500 ft, heading north. As we crossed over the runway, I noticed several parachutes above us. The skydivers apparently exited their aircraft prior to reaching the drop zone at the end of runway 8. Many of the skydivers did not make it to the drop zone and landed around the airport. This is a hazardous situation. Having a skydiver open his parachute above you could result in a collision with an aircraft. This is especially true if the skydiver has a canopy malfunction or opens his parachute lower than usual. To help prevent a potentially hazardous situation, I spoke with the pilots of the jumpships and asked them to caution the jumpers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA PLT, WITH A GLIDER UNDER TOW, ENCOUNTERED SKYDIVERS ABOVE HIS ACFT.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF ON RWY 8 WITH A GLIDER IN TOW. WE DEPARTED THE TFC PATTERN WITH A R TURNOUT AND THEN PROCEEDED TO CROSS OVER THE RWY AT 1500 FT, HEADING N. AS WE CROSSED OVER THE RWY, I NOTICED SEVERAL PARACHUTES ABOVE US. THE SKYDIVERS APPARENTLY EXITED THEIR ACFT PRIOR TO REACHING THE DROP ZONE AT THE END OF RWY 8. MANY OF THE SKYDIVERS DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE DROP ZONE AND LANDED AROUND THE ARPT. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS SIT. HAVING A SKYDIVER OPEN HIS PARACHUTE ABOVE YOU COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION WITH AN ACFT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IF THE SKYDIVER HAS A CANOPY MALFUNCTION OR OPENS HIS PARACHUTE LOWER THAN USUAL. TO HELP PREVENT A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SIT, I SPOKE WITH THE PLTS OF THE JUMPSHIPS AND ASKED THEM TO CAUTION THE JUMPERS.

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.