Parachute jumping activity in marginal VMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	351363
Time
Date	199610
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdh
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	351363
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on jump runs for skydivers several times on this day, I observed a clear hole through the broken layer of clouds at about 4000-5000 ft AGL. Releasing the skydivers through a hole was executed several times throughout the day and on several occasions the cloud clearance rapidly diminished, or the hole moved enough for the cloud clearance requirements to be broken while the skydivers were falling. The day had unstable air and some convective activity. The clouds condensed rapidly. To prevent further occurrence, I feel a lower release altitude, or no jumping activity at all should be exercised.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY IN MARGINAL VMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: WHILE ON JUMP RUNS FOR SKYDIVERS SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS DAY, I OBSERVED A CLR HOLE THROUGH THE BROKEN LAYER OF CLOUDS AT ABOUT 4000-5000 FT AGL. RELEASING THE SKYDIVERS THROUGH A HOLE WAS EXECUTED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CLOUD CLRNC RAPIDLY DIMINISHED, OR THE HOLE MOVED ENOUGH FOR THE CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS TO BE BROKEN WHILE THE SKYDIVERS WERE FALLING. THE DAY HAD UNSTABLE AIR AND SOME CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. THE CLOUDS CONDENSED RAPIDLY. TO PREVENT FURTHER OCCURRENCE, I FEEL A LOWER RELEASE ALT, OR NO JUMPING ACTIVITY AT ALL SHOULD BE EXERCISED.

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.