Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft operated by FBO, a skydiving operation based at the garnett municipal airport in garnett, ks. Although the WX reports from the nearest reporting stations were not encouraging for skydiving operations, ceiling and visibility were otherwise adequate for VFR flight. I took off with a load of skydivers, who had agreed that, if the ceiling did not permit them to jump, they would be willing to ride the airplane down. I climbed to 3000 ft MSL, about 2000 ft AGL, and turned in on jump run about 3 mi south of the airport. I could clearly see the airport and the section of land beyond it, and so estimated the flight visibility to be at least 4 mi. The cloud bases were indistinct, but, based on previous experience, I estimated I was at least 500 ft below them. As I concentrated on ground references to precisely maneuver the aircraft, I inadvertently entered a cloud at about the same time the jumpers exited. I was in the cloud for only a few seconds, and I made a normal descent and landing. In the past, I have prided myself in precise placement of the aircraft, exactly over the requested exit point. In most cases, though, precision is not required because modern rectangular parachutes glide and maneuver much better than older round ones. I intend to save my efforts at precision to much clrer days, and to concentrate more on maintaining VFR when the conditions are less favorable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JUMP PLANE PLT ENTERS CLOUD AS JUMPERS EXIT ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA OPERATED BY FBO, A SKYDIVING OP BASED AT THE GARNETT MUNICIPAL ARPT IN GARNETT, KS. ALTHOUGH THE WX RPTS FROM THE NEAREST RPTING STATIONS WERE NOT ENCOURAGING FOR SKYDIVING OPS, CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE OTHERWISE ADEQUATE FOR VFR FLT. I TOOK OFF WITH A LOAD OF SKYDIVERS, WHO HAD AGREED THAT, IF THE CEILING DID NOT PERMIT THEM TO JUMP, THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO RIDE THE AIRPLANE DOWN. I CLBED TO 3000 FT MSL, ABOUT 2000 FT AGL, AND TURNED IN ON JUMP RUN ABOUT 3 MI S OF THE ARPT. I COULD CLRLY SEE THE ARPT AND THE SECTION OF LAND BEYOND IT, AND SO ESTIMATED THE FLT VISIBILITY TO BE AT LEAST 4 MI. THE CLOUD BASES WERE INDISTINCT, BUT, BASED ON PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, I ESTIMATED I WAS AT LEAST 500 FT BELOW THEM. AS I CONCENTRATED ON GND REFS TO PRECISELY MANEUVER THE ACFT, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CLOUD AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE JUMPERS EXITED. I WAS IN THE CLOUD FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS, AND I MADE A NORMAL DSCNT AND LNDG. IN THE PAST, I HAVE PRIDED MYSELF IN PRECISE PLACEMENT OF THE ACFT, EXACTLY OVER THE REQUESTED EXIT POINT. IN MOST CASES, THOUGH, PRECISION IS NOT REQUIRED BECAUSE MODERN RECTANGULAR PARACHUTES GLIDE AND MANEUVER MUCH BETTER THAN OLDER ROUND ONES. I INTEND TO SAVE MY EFFORTS AT PRECISION TO MUCH CLRER DAYS, AND TO CONCENTRATE MORE ON MAINTAINING VFR WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE LESS FAVORABLE.

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.