Narrative:

While in cruise on VFR flight; I was in clear air approaching CCC VOR at 4500 ft. I was in the process of calling new york TRACON for advisories. All at once; I saw ahead and slightly to my left; a skydiver perhaps 100 yards away. I began a turn to the right; and another diver went by about the same distance to my right. About this time; new york got a radar contact and advised me of skydiving in progress in the area. He also told me of a frequency they use to announce it; but in my state of mind I have forgotten it. I had no idea that calverton supported air operations; much less skydiving. I am an airline pilot; and fly into jfk frequently. We arrive over CCC; at 12000 ft. Never would I have guessed that skydiving was approved over a busy VOR station; over a closed airport. I looked closely at the chart and saw the parachute symbol south of the calverton airport. I have looked at that chart hundreds of times and I have not seen that symbol before. I have missed seeing it and I bet others have too. It is not reasonable to expect pilots from other areas to have intimate local knowledge of operations like this. I acknowledge my error in missing this; but I firmly maintain that skydiving operations in that area are a distinct hazard. If this event could happen to me; it could happen many times (and probably has) with others. I beg for appropriate authority/authorized to look into this matter and take action. I could have easily killed others; and myself. I acknowledge my part of this; but I think the bigger picture is a nonsensical operation in this busy airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PILOT REPORTS NMAC WITH SKYDIVERS OVER CCC VOR AT 4500 FEET.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE ON VFR FLT; I WAS IN CLR AIR APCHING CCC VOR AT 4500 FT. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CALLING NEW YORK TRACON FOR ADVISORIES. ALL AT ONCE; I SAW AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY TO MY L; A SKYDIVER PERHAPS 100 YARDS AWAY. I BEGAN A TURN TO THE R; AND ANOTHER DIVER WENT BY ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE TO MY R. ABOUT THIS TIME; NEW YORK GOT A RADAR CONTACT AND ADVISED ME OF SKYDIVING IN PROGRESS IN THE AREA. HE ALSO TOLD ME OF A FREQ THEY USE TO ANNOUNCE IT; BUT IN MY STATE OF MIND I HAVE FORGOTTEN IT. I HAD NO IDEA THAT CALVERTON SUPPORTED AIR OPS; MUCH LESS SKYDIVING. I AM AN AIRLINE PLT; AND FLY INTO JFK FREQUENTLY. WE ARRIVE OVER CCC; AT 12000 FT. NEVER WOULD I HAVE GUESSED THAT SKYDIVING WAS APPROVED OVER A BUSY VOR STATION; OVER A CLOSED ARPT. I LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE CHART AND SAW THE PARACHUTE SYMBOL S OF THE CALVERTON ARPT. I HAVE LOOKED AT THAT CHART HUNDREDS OF TIMES AND I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT SYMBOL BEFORE. I HAVE MISSED SEEING IT AND I BET OTHERS HAVE TOO. IT IS NOT REASONABLE TO EXPECT PLTS FROM OTHER AREAS TO HAVE INTIMATE LCL KNOWLEDGE OF OPS LIKE THIS. I ACKNOWLEDGE MY ERROR IN MISSING THIS; BUT I FIRMLY MAINTAIN THAT SKYDIVING OPS IN THAT AREA ARE A DISTINCT HAZARD. IF THIS EVENT COULD HAPPEN TO ME; IT COULD HAPPEN MANY TIMES (AND PROBABLY HAS) WITH OTHERS. I BEG FOR APPROPRIATE AUTH TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND TAKE ACTION. I COULD HAVE EASILY KILLED OTHERS; AND MYSELF. I ACKNOWLEDGE MY PART OF THIS; BUT I THINK THE BIGGER PICTURE IS A NONSENSICAL OP IN THIS BUSY AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.