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Sky dive jump aircraft about to discharge jumpers when spotted mlt approaching from behind. Made rapid descent to avoid. No call of traffic from center. No knowledge of aircraft at center. Mlt flashed lights but made no effort to divert.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 111819 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198905 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : 2w7 |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 12500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zny |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Military Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 51 flight time total : 416 flight time type : 140 |
| ASRS Report | 111819 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : military |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 2000 vertical : 2000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was the trail aircraft on a formation flight over devener airport for the purpose of sky diving. We were turning onto jump run and the lead aircraft notified ZNY (ZNY was aware of the flight). An mlt was coming straight at us from behind. We saw it and made a fast descent to the left to avoid him. He passed over us and on our right. He saw us and flashed his lights at us, but made no attempt to change altitude. (We saw him about 7 mi out.) ZNY had no knowledge of him. The mlt was light blue/gray on the bottom half and fatigue green on the top half making us assume he was military. The WX was very clear 20+ mi visibility, no ceiling. I really don't know how to avoid this situation other than stay below 10500' which is what is normally done with the smaller small aircraft's, but for large loads the jumpers really need the extra altitude. We were VFR and I would assume the mlt was IFR but he did see us and although we avoided him, I would have felt better if he would have climbed a little. It was as if he didn't care and ZNY had no knowledge him (no mention). We try to oblige ATC any time we can, I always ask for an altitude and will very willingly change, hold or deviate whatever makes their job easier. But sky diving is being forced out of aviation altogether. We keep being asked why can't we move to a different location, but everyone (location) asks the same question.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SKY DIVE JUMP ACFT ABOUT TO DISCHARGE JUMPERS WHEN SPOTTED MLT APCHING FROM BEHIND. MADE RAPID DESCENT TO AVOID. NO CALL OF TRAFFIC FROM CENTER. NO KNOWLEDGE OF ACFT AT CENTER. MLT FLASHED LIGHTS BUT MADE NO EFFORT TO DIVERT.
Narrative: I WAS THE TRAIL ACFT ON A FORMATION FLT OVER DEVENER ARPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SKY DIVING. WE WERE TURNING ONTO JUMP RUN AND THE LEAD ACFT NOTIFIED ZNY (ZNY WAS AWARE OF THE FLT). AN MLT WAS COMING STRAIGHT AT US FROM BEHIND. WE SAW IT AND MADE A FAST DSCNT TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HIM. HE PASSED OVER US AND ON OUR RIGHT. HE SAW US AND FLASHED HIS LIGHTS AT US, BUT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO CHANGE ALT. (WE SAW HIM ABOUT 7 MI OUT.) ZNY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF HIM. THE MLT WAS LIGHT BLUE/GRAY ON THE BOTTOM HALF AND FATIGUE GREEN ON THE TOP HALF MAKING US ASSUME HE WAS MIL. THE WX WAS VERY CLEAR 20+ MI VISIBILITY, NO CEILING. I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO AVOID THIS SITUATION OTHER THAN STAY BELOW 10500' WHICH IS WHAT IS NORMALLY DONE WITH THE SMALLER SMA'S, BUT FOR LARGE LOADS THE JUMPERS REALLY NEED THE EXTRA ALT. WE WERE VFR AND I WOULD ASSUME THE MLT WAS IFR BUT HE DID SEE US AND ALTHOUGH WE AVOIDED HIM, I WOULD HAVE FELT BETTER IF HE WOULD HAVE CLBED A LITTLE. IT WAS AS IF HE DIDN'T CARE AND ZNY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE HIM (NO MENTION). WE TRY TO OBLIGE ATC ANY TIME WE CAN, I ALWAYS ASK FOR AN ALT AND WILL VERY WILLINGLY CHANGE, HOLD OR DEVIATE WHATEVER MAKES THEIR JOB EASIER. BUT SKY DIVING IS BEING FORCED OUT OF AVIATION ALTOGETHER. WE KEEP BEING ASKED WHY CAN'T WE MOVE TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION, BUT EVERYONE (LOCATION) ASKS THE SAME QUESTION.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.