Evasive action turn to avoid parachute jumping activity.

Attributes
ACN	308910
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgj
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : swf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 195 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	308910
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I received a WX and NOTAMS briefing from bridgeport FSS. As it was a holiday weekend, I was particularly concerned with NOTAMS which could affect the route of flight. The briefer was good and courteous and, with his recommendations, I decided to fly from danbury, ct (dxr) west over the delaware water gap. The briefer informed me of parachute jumping in the vicinity of the sparta VOR and that the west point exclusion area was active. I planned my route accordingly. On the return trip (eastbound at 3500 ft) VFR, I was monitoring stewart tower (swf) and staying high enough to avoid stewart class D airspace. While approaching and just to the north of orange county (mgj) my wife, spotted parachutes about a half mi in front of us. Altitudes varied from the same as ours to approximately 5000 ft. I immediately executed a right turn and cleared the jumpers by about 1000 ft. I am concerned that the jumpers may not have filed a jump plan and therefore I was not aware of the jump activity. If I had known, I would have been on the orange county CTAF instead of on the stewart frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVASIVE ACTION TURN TO AVOID PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A WX AND NOTAMS BRIEFING FROM BRIDGEPORT FSS. AS IT WAS A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, I WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH NOTAMS WHICH COULD AFFECT THE RTE OF FLT. THE BRIEFER WAS GOOD AND COURTEOUS AND, WITH HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, I DECIDED TO FLY FROM DANBURY, CT (DXR) W OVER THE DELAWARE WATER GAP. THE BRIEFER INFORMED ME OF PARACHUTE JUMPING IN THE VICINITY OF THE SPARTA VOR AND THAT THE W POINT EXCLUSION AREA WAS ACTIVE. I PLANNED MY RTE ACCORDINGLY. ON THE RETURN TRIP (EBOUND AT 3500 FT) VFR, I WAS MONITORING STEWART TWR (SWF) AND STAYING HIGH ENOUGH TO AVOID STEWART CLASS D AIRSPACE. WHILE APCHING AND JUST TO THE N OF ORANGE COUNTY (MGJ) MY WIFE, SPOTTED PARACHUTES ABOUT A HALF MI IN FRONT OF US. ALTS VARIED FROM THE SAME AS OURS TO APPROX 5000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A R TURN AND CLRED THE JUMPERS BY ABOUT 1000 FT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE JUMPERS MAY NOT HAVE FILED A JUMP PLAN AND THEREFORE I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE JUMP ACTIVITY. IF I HAD KNOWN, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE ORANGE COUNTY CTAF INSTEAD OF ON THE STEWART FREQ.

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.