Narrative:

As a jump pilot in a skydiving environment, it is sometimes difficult to determine the actual intent and observations of a skydiver group, or single skydiver. On various occasions, while climbing to altitude (13500 ft MSL) it is not unknown in the industry to participate in skydiving activity in broken/scattered conditions, only to find yourself IMC. In an effort to obtain a clearance, you are already VFR again, and no clearance required. I personally have found myself in this situation a few times this yr/season. Additionally skydivers, when 'spotting' the aircraft, have the advantage of looking straight down, the pilot does not, however, the pilot is held responsible if they should and can 'track' to or through a cloud. Most skydivers are aware of violations in 'punching' clouds, however they believe it to be more fun than the risk. The pilot has no way of determining their action, however is held responsible. Perhaps stiffer penalties to the skydivers themselves. Not one skydiver I know has ever been violated for 'punching clouds,' however many, many pilots have. Another topic of safety and concern is intoxicated skydivers. One instance I experienced was a flight to 13500 ft MSL, at 6000 ft I 'thought' I could smell alcohol from a skydiver. My suspicions were aroused again at about 12000 ft by his mannerism in preparation for exit. By the time I said to myself 'wait a min, this guy's drunk,' he had exited the airplane and went about an uneventful skydive. On the ground, my suspicions were confirmed. Am I responsible for this? Again, this is more common than I wish to admit, and again I have never known a skydiver to be violated for this. I am personally aware of all of the sits because I have participated in this activity from mid may to present date.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPT OF SKYDIVER PLT'S ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF JUMPERS. PROX OF CLOUDS, ACFT AND DIVERS GOING IMC IN VFR FLT, LACK OF COORD WITH ATC AND DRUNKEN DIVERS.

Narrative: AS A JUMP PLT IN A SKYDIVING ENVIRONMENT, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL INTENT AND OBSERVATIONS OF A SKYDIVER GROUP, OR SINGLE SKYDIVER. ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS, WHILE CLBING TO ALT (13500 FT MSL) IT IS NOT UNKNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN SKYDIVING ACTIVITY IN BROKEN/SCATTERED CONDITIONS, ONLY TO FIND YOURSELF IMC. IN AN EFFORT TO OBTAIN A CLRNC, YOU ARE ALREADY VFR AGAIN, AND NO CLRNC REQUIRED. I PERSONALLY HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN THIS SIT A FEW TIMES THIS YR/SEASON. ADDITIONALLY SKYDIVERS, WHEN 'SPOTTING' THE ACFT, HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN, THE PLT DOES NOT, HOWEVER, THE PLT IS HELD RESPONSIBLE IF THEY SHOULD AND CAN 'TRACK' TO OR THROUGH A CLOUD. MOST SKYDIVERS ARE AWARE OF VIOLATIONS IN 'PUNCHING' CLOUDS, HOWEVER THEY BELIEVE IT TO BE MORE FUN THAN THE RISK. THE PLT HAS NO WAY OF DETERMINING THEIR ACTION, HOWEVER IS HELD RESPONSIBLE. PERHAPS STIFFER PENALTIES TO THE SKYDIVERS THEMSELVES. NOT ONE SKYDIVER I KNOW HAS EVER BEEN VIOLATED FOR 'PUNCHING CLOUDS,' HOWEVER MANY, MANY PLTS HAVE. ANOTHER TOPIC OF SAFETY AND CONCERN IS INTOXICATED SKYDIVERS. ONE INSTANCE I EXPERIENCED WAS A FLT TO 13500 FT MSL, AT 6000 FT I 'THOUGHT' I COULD SMELL ALCOHOL FROM A SKYDIVER. MY SUSPICIONS WERE AROUSED AGAIN AT ABOUT 12000 FT BY HIS MANNERISM IN PREPARATION FOR EXIT. BY THE TIME I SAID TO MYSELF 'WAIT A MIN, THIS GUY'S DRUNK,' HE HAD EXITED THE AIRPLANE AND WENT ABOUT AN UNEVENTFUL SKYDIVE. ON THE GND, MY SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED. AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? AGAIN, THIS IS MORE COMMON THAN I WISH TO ADMIT, AND AGAIN I HAVE NEVER KNOWN A SKYDIVER TO BE VIOLATED FOR THIS. I AM PERSONALLY AWARE OF ALL OF THE SITS BECAUSE I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS ACTIVITY FROM MID MAY TO PRESENT DATE.

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.