Narrative:

Received WX briefing from someone in tennessee. Briefer told me of parachute jumping off the CCC 130 degree radial at 17 mi; 2 mi radius; 10000 ft and below. IFR flight plan filed; IFR flight plan picked up at ash; flying under IFR control. Ny approach (132.25 I believe) had me descend to 3000 ft as I was heading on V16 to CCC. Over CCC VOR; controller had me switch frequency to 118.0 (I believe). At that time; while switching controllers; I saw parachute jumpers very close (approximately 300 ft) to my left; to my right; and in front of me to the right; anywhere from at my level to about 100-200 ft above me. As I checked in with ny approach; I immediately told him I had parachute jumpers all around me. I don't think he responded to my first call; and I checked in again and said the same thing. The controller acknowledged my call in. I basically flew straight; as that looked to be the best way to go to avoid the jumpers. The controller told someone else on frequency that he was unable to accept their request; and I assumed he was trying to find out about my situation. At some point later; he told me to descend to 2000 ft when able. I told him I was descending to 2000 ft. At some point later; the controller told me to squawk VFR and change to advisory frequency. Then he caught himself; and gave me IFR cancellation instructions; and told me to change to advisory frequency. I then told him I was canceling IFR at that time; and asked if there was a phone number I needed to call. He accepted my IFR cancellation; but did not respond to my request if I needed to call someone. I switched to advisory frequency at hwv; and completed my flight. It is my understanding that when operating on an active IFR flight plan; ATC is responsible for making sure the flight avoids known parachute jumping activities. Unfortunately; my WX briefing only told me of parachute jumping 17 mi off of CCC on the 130 degree radial; and when I planned my flight; I knew I would avoid this area. I was not aware from the briefing that there was jumping directly over the CCC VOR; but even if I had known this; they would route me to avoid active jumpers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PILOT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FLEW THROUGH A SPORT PARACHUTIST AREA.

Narrative: RECEIVED WX BRIEFING FROM SOMEONE IN TENNESSEE. BRIEFER TOLD ME OF PARACHUTE JUMPING OFF THE CCC 130 DEG RADIAL AT 17 MI; 2 MI RADIUS; 10000 FT AND BELOW. IFR FLT PLAN FILED; IFR FLT PLAN PICKED UP AT ASH; FLYING UNDER IFR CTL. NY APCH (132.25 I BELIEVE) HAD ME DSND TO 3000 FT AS I WAS HDG ON V16 TO CCC. OVER CCC VOR; CTLR HAD ME SWITCH FREQ TO 118.0 (I BELIEVE). AT THAT TIME; WHILE SWITCHING CTLRS; I SAW PARACHUTE JUMPERS VERY CLOSE (APPROX 300 FT) TO MY L; TO MY R; AND IN FRONT OF ME TO THE R; ANYWHERE FROM AT MY LEVEL TO ABOUT 100-200 FT ABOVE ME. AS I CHKED IN WITH NY APCH; I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM I HAD PARACHUTE JUMPERS ALL AROUND ME. I DON'T THINK HE RESPONDED TO MY FIRST CALL; AND I CHKED IN AGAIN AND SAID THE SAME THING. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED MY CALL IN. I BASICALLY FLEW STRAIGHT; AS THAT LOOKED TO BE THE BEST WAY TO GO TO AVOID THE JUMPERS. THE CTLR TOLD SOMEONE ELSE ON FREQ THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO ACCEPT THEIR REQUEST; AND I ASSUMED HE WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT MY SITUATION. AT SOME POINT LATER; HE TOLD ME TO DSND TO 2000 FT WHEN ABLE. I TOLD HIM I WAS DSNDING TO 2000 FT. AT SOME POINT LATER; THE CTLR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK VFR AND CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQ. THEN HE CAUGHT HIMSELF; AND GAVE ME IFR CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS; AND TOLD ME TO CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQ. I THEN TOLD HIM I WAS CANCELING IFR AT THAT TIME; AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A PHONE NUMBER I NEEDED TO CALL. HE ACCEPTED MY IFR CANCELLATION; BUT DID NOT RESPOND TO MY REQUEST IF I NEEDED TO CALL SOMEONE. I SWITCHED TO ADVISORY FREQ AT HWV; AND COMPLETED MY FLT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN OPERATING ON AN ACTIVE IFR FLT PLAN; ATC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THE FLT AVOIDS KNOWN PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITIES. UNFORTUNATELY; MY WX BRIEFING ONLY TOLD ME OF PARACHUTE JUMPING 17 MI OFF OF CCC ON THE 130 DEG RADIAL; AND WHEN I PLANNED MY FLT; I KNEW I WOULD AVOID THIS AREA. I WAS NOT AWARE FROM THE BRIEFING THAT THERE WAS JUMPING DIRECTLY OVER THE CCC VOR; BUT EVEN IF I HAD KNOWN THIS; THEY WOULD RTE ME TO AVOID ACTIVE JUMPERS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.