Small aircraft has conflict with skydiver on entering traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	259994
Time
Date	199312
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zph
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	259994
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Approaching zph VFR, day, to land. Was advised by tpa approach regarding parachute activity in area and field is listed as such in airport facilities directory. Called unicom 10 mi out, reported position and intention, requested landing advisory. Was told 'runway 22.' observed aircraft departing runway 36. Decided to circle around field to observe for traffic and possible 'chutists.' I then observed them -- several -- ahead and above me. I descended below them further and turned away and then landed. Another commercial cfii pilot with me. There was no radio warning of jumping in progress. Not by pilot of jump plane or unicom operator. The people on field said some pilots announce jumpers, and some don't. On departing, I heard a garbled radio broadcast from pilot with accent 'jumpers at zeph-ill.' no altitude information. Unicom frequency very busy and his radio poor. I have good radios and headsets. Problem: failure to communicate. Recommend unicom callouts repeatedly and clearly from time of jump through descent. Ground based parachute observer with portable unicom unit to transmit to any transiting aircraft regarding status of jump activity. Consider a separate unicom frequency at airports where jumping, so communications are clear and not stepped on by other pilots and use clear american english phraseology.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS CONFLICT WITH SKYDIVER ON ENTERING TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: APCHING ZPH VFR, DAY, TO LAND. WAS ADVISED BY TPA APCH REGARDING PARACHUTE ACTIVITY IN AREA AND FIELD IS LISTED AS SUCH IN ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY. CALLED UNICOM 10 MI OUT, RPTED POS AND INTENTION, REQUESTED LNDG ADVISORY. WAS TOLD 'RWY 22.' OBSERVED ACFT DEPARTING RWY 36. DECIDED TO CIRCLE AROUND FIELD TO OBSERVE FOR TFC AND POSSIBLE 'CHUTISTS.' I THEN OBSERVED THEM -- SEVERAL -- AHEAD AND ABOVE ME. I DSNDED BELOW THEM FURTHER AND TURNED AWAY AND THEN LANDED. ANOTHER COMMERCIAL CFII PLT WITH ME. THERE WAS NO RADIO WARNING OF JUMPING IN PROGRESS. NOT BY PLT OF JUMP PLANE OR UNICOM OPERATOR. THE PEOPLE ON FIELD SAID SOME PLTS ANNOUNCE JUMPERS, AND SOME DON'T. ON DEPARTING, I HEARD A GARBLED RADIO BROADCAST FROM PLT WITH ACCENT 'JUMPERS AT ZEPH-ILL.' NO ALT INFO. UNICOM FREQ VERY BUSY AND HIS RADIO POOR. I HAVE GOOD RADIOS AND HEADSETS. PROB: FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE. RECOMMEND UNICOM CALLOUTS REPEATEDLY AND CLRLY FROM TIME OF JUMP THROUGH DSCNT. GND BASED PARACHUTE OBSERVER WITH PORTABLE UNICOM UNIT TO XMIT TO ANY TRANSITING ACFT REGARDING STATUS OF JUMP ACTIVITY. CONSIDER A SEPARATE UNICOM FREQ AT ARPTS WHERE JUMPING, SO COMS ARE CLR AND NOT STEPPED ON BY OTHER PLTS AND USE CLR AMERICAN ENGLISH PHRASEOLOGY.

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.