While on airway route to phl near albek at about 3000 ft, a parachutist made an evasive action turn ...

Attributes
ACN	336947
Time
Date	199605
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cyn airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v312
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	336947
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

En route from lga to phl. While on route to phl about 3000 ft, we saw a parachutist make an evasive action not to hit us. You could see his face. Too close for us. We asked ATC. He said 'we thought they were all already down.' I can't believe parachutist are allowed to jump in a TCA class B or that close to one. There was no mention on the ATIS. Even if there was, it's hard enough to spot traffic in the haze, lights and ground clutter. Plus, I think parachutists should be more restr. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he was flying a dash 8. The parachute jumper was falling toward cross keys airport from the west with the west wind. He was on the RNAV route from coyle VOR to albek intersection to woodstown VOR which is V312 airway. He stated the ATIS frequently cautions parachute activity from 13000 ft over cross keys airport. The ceiling was 8000 ft overcast so if the parachute jumper dropped from 13000 ft he came through the clouds and out the overcast. He stated he made a parachute jump once and recognized the evasive maneuver the jumper made when he turned by collapsing a portion of his chute.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON AIRWAY RTE TO PHL NEAR ALBEK AT ABOUT 3000 FT, A PARACHUTIST MADE AN EVASIVE ACTION TURN TO AVOID HITTING THE RPTR'S DASH 8. THE APCH CTLR SAID 'WE THOUGHT THEY WERE ALREADY DOWN.'

Narrative: ENRTE FROM LGA TO PHL. WHILE ON RTE TO PHL ABOUT 3000 FT, WE SAW A PARACHUTIST MAKE AN EVASIVE ACTION NOT TO HIT US. YOU COULD SEE HIS FACE. TOO CLOSE FOR US. WE ASKED ATC. HE SAID 'WE THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL ALREADY DOWN.' I CAN'T BELIEVE PARACHUTIST ARE ALLOWED TO JUMP IN A TCA CLASS B OR THAT CLOSE TO ONE. THERE WAS NO MENTION ON THE ATIS. EVEN IF THERE WAS, IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO SPOT TFC IN THE HAZE, LIGHTS AND GND CLUTTER. PLUS, I THINK PARACHUTISTS SHOULD BE MORE RESTR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS FLYING A DASH 8. THE PARACHUTE JUMPER WAS FALLING TOWARD CROSS KEYS ARPT FROM THE W WITH THE W WIND. HE WAS ON THE RNAV RTE FROM COYLE VOR TO ALBEK INTXN TO WOODSTOWN VOR WHICH IS V312 AIRWAY. HE STATED THE ATIS FREQUENTLY CAUTIONS PARACHUTE ACTIVITY FROM 13000 FT OVER CROSS KEYS ARPT. THE CEILING WAS 8000 FT OVCST SO IF THE PARACHUTE JUMPER DROPPED FROM 13000 FT HE CAME THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND OUT THE OVCST. HE STATED HE MADE A PARACHUTE JUMP ONCE AND RECOGNIZED THE EVASIVE MANEUVER THE JUMPER MADE WHEN HE TURNED BY COLLAPSING A PORTION OF HIS CHUTE.

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.

While on airway route to phl near albek at about 3000 ft, a parachutist made an evasive action turn to avoid hitting the reporter's dash 8. The approach controller said 'we thought they were already down.'