C182 pilot vicinity of 9k8 (kingman, ks) allows skydivers to jump after sunset without lights.

Attributes
ACN	632764
Time
Date	200410
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 105
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	632762
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Towards the end of a long day flying skydivers I dropped the next to last load at approximately XA40 (CDT). I was thinking sunset was around XB15, which would have given me around 10 mins to get to the ground, a couple mins to fuel and another 20 mins to get back to altitude for the jump. Before the last takeoff I couldn't see the sun because it was behind some clouds in the distant west which may have prevented me from telling that sunset was actually earlier than I was thinking. (After looking later it was at XB08.) during the climb we were losing light faster than expected so the jumpers were dropped earlier (lower) than planned. The jumpers were not lighted and it was after sunset. As a skydiver I knew that jumping at that time of day isn't a problem but as a pilot I should not have let the jump go without the skydivers wearing lights. Contributing factors were poor judgement and pressure to get the jumpers up. In the future, I will be more aware of the time of day and will ensure that the jumpers are wearing lights if they are to leave the aircraft after sunset or landing the aircraft without dropping would also be appropriate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT VICINITY OF 9K8 (KINGMAN, KS) ALLOWS SKYDIVERS TO JUMP AFTER SUNSET WITHOUT LIGHTS.

Narrative: TOWARDS THE END OF A LONG DAY FLYING SKYDIVERS I DROPPED THE NEXT TO LAST LOAD AT APPROX XA40 (CDT). I WAS THINKING SUNSET WAS AROUND XB15, WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME AROUND 10 MINS TO GET TO THE GND, A COUPLE MINS TO FUEL AND ANOTHER 20 MINS TO GET BACK TO ALT FOR THE JUMP. BEFORE THE LAST TKOF I COULDN'T SEE THE SUN BECAUSE IT WAS BEHIND SOME CLOUDS IN THE DISTANT W WHICH MAY HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM TELLING THAT SUNSET WAS ACTUALLY EARLIER THAN I WAS THINKING. (AFTER LOOKING LATER IT WAS AT XB08.) DURING THE CLB WE WERE LOSING LIGHT FASTER THAN EXPECTED SO THE JUMPERS WERE DROPPED EARLIER (LOWER) THAN PLANNED. THE JUMPERS WERE NOT LIGHTED AND IT WAS AFTER SUNSET. AS A SKYDIVER I KNEW THAT JUMPING AT THAT TIME OF DAY ISN'T A PROB BUT AS A PLT I SHOULD NOT HAVE LET THE JUMP GO WITHOUT THE SKYDIVERS WEARING LIGHTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE POOR JUDGEMENT AND PRESSURE TO GET THE JUMPERS UP. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE AWARE OF THE TIME OF DAY AND WILL ENSURE THAT THE JUMPERS ARE WEARING LIGHTS IF THEY ARE TO LEAVE THE ACFT AFTER SUNSET OR LNDG THE ACFT WITHOUT DROPPING WOULD ALSO BE APPROPRIATE.

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.