Narrative:

This event is a reoccurring problem here at portland, and needs to be addressed before something serious happens. The scenario is VFR aircraft operating over a jet arrival route into pdx above an altitude of the arriving turbojet aircraft, for the purpose of skydive activities. On this particular evening, 3 aircraft were involved, 2 skydive cessnas and an air carrier X md-80. Skydive Y and skydive Z were operating along the moxee arrival at or below 10500 ft MSL as restr by ATC. X was descending to 10000 ft on the moxee arrival as per LOA between ZLC and portland approach. X was issued the traffic, however, the pilot was unable to see the aircraft due to haze, smoke, and possible sun angle. Issued a turn to X to avoid passing underneath the 'jump' aircraft, then X reported having both aircraft in sight. X was issued a pilot discretion descent to 5000 ft. X then stated that he had taken evasive to avoid 2 jumpers that had exited the 'jump' aircraft above him. Having listened to the tapes, I noticed I failed to point out air carrier X to the 'jump' aircraft, however there were several arrs on the moxee, and all aircraft were on the same frequency. I believe that the jump zone and the jet arrival need to be at different locations. The two just don't go together well, and it is my belief, as well as other controllers here at pdx that something terrible is going to happen if nothing is done. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: facility supervisor stated the skydive company has a LOA with the facility and operates in compliance with far 105. Pilots inform controller 1 min prior to drop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH SKYDIVER. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: THIS EVENT IS A REOCCURRING PROB HERE AT PORTLAND, AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS. THE SCENARIO IS VFR ACFT OPERATING OVER A JET ARR RTE INTO PDX ABOVE AN ALT OF THE ARRIVING TURBOJET ACFT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SKYDIVE ACTIVITIES. ON THIS PARTICULAR EVENING, 3 ACFT WERE INVOLVED, 2 SKYDIVE CESSNAS AND AN ACR X MD-80. SKYDIVE Y AND SKYDIVE Z WERE OPERATING ALONG THE MOXEE ARR AT OR BELOW 10500 FT MSL AS RESTR BY ATC. X WAS DSNDING TO 10000 FT ON THE MOXEE ARR AS PER LOA BTWN ZLC AND PORTLAND APCH. X WAS ISSUED THE TFC, HOWEVER, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ACFT DUE TO HAZE, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLE SUN ANGLE. ISSUED A TURN TO X TO AVOID PASSING UNDERNEATH THE 'JUMP' ACFT, THEN X RPTED HAVING BOTH ACFT IN SIGHT. X WAS ISSUED A PLT DISCRETION DSCNT TO 5000 FT. X THEN STATED THAT HE HAD TAKEN EVASIVE TO AVOID 2 JUMPERS THAT HAD EXITED THE 'JUMP' ACFT ABOVE HIM. HAVING LISTENED TO THE TAPES, I NOTICED I FAILED TO POINT OUT ACR X TO THE 'JUMP' ACFT, HOWEVER THERE WERE SEVERAL ARRS ON THE MOXEE, AND ALL ACFT WERE ON THE SAME FREQ. I BELIEVE THAT THE JUMP ZONE AND THE JET ARR NEED TO BE AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. THE TWO JUST DON'T GO TOGETHER WELL, AND IT IS MY BELIEF, AS WELL AS OTHER CTLRS HERE AT PDX THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY SUPVR STATED THE SKYDIVE COMPANY HAS A LOA WITH THE FACILITY AND OPERATES IN COMPLIANCE WITH FAR 105. PLTS INFORM CTLR 1 MIN PRIOR TO DROP.

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.