Narrative:

I was the PIC of a king air BE90 making a paradrop in the vicinity of dillingham airfield. 12 jumpers exited the aircraft in 5 groups approximately 5 seconds apart. There were some scattered clouds in the area and the jump master gave me corrections to line the aircraft upwind of the drop zone as well as clear of any clouds. The jumpers exited and maintained their 2000 ft horizontal separation as well as their 500 ft below and 1000 ft above per far 105. A disgruntled former employee videotaped the jumpers from the ground at the drop zone approximately 1 mi away. Although I have not personally seen this video, I understand he has called the FAA and they have viewed it. Upon investigating this situation the FAA viewed a free fall cameraman's video tape which was shot on the jump in question. I personally have viewed this tape to which legal cloud separation was maintained. One cannot accurately estimate a jumper's or aircraft's distance from clouds from the ground. I believe that it needs to be viewed from above. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this reporter is employed with a part 91 operation and has a suggestion regarding part 105. The far was originally written in 1969 and the intent of all of the rules may not be appropriate anymore. In the past, the parachutes in use did not have the maneuverability that they now have, with the ram-air design. The PIC is held responsible for the actions of the jumper when the PIC really has no control over the jumpers once they are out of the aircraft. As a side note: the ram-air chute is constructed of cells that fill with air at the front and have a sealed trailing edge. They are capable of a forward speed of 20 SM per min, and have a glide ratio of 3 ft forward for every ft vertically lost. The jumpers usually free fall until 5000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THIS BE90 PLT WAS ACCUSED OF MAKING A PARADROP THAT PLACED THE JUMPERS IN THE CLOUDS. A DISGRUNTLED FORMER EMPLOYEE VIDEOTAPED THE DROP AND IT IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC OF A KING AIR BE90 MAKING A PARADROP IN THE VICINITY OF DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD. 12 JUMPERS EXITED THE ACFT IN 5 GROUPS APPROX 5 SECONDS APART. THERE WERE SOME SCATTERED CLOUDS IN THE AREA AND THE JUMP MASTER GAVE ME CORRECTIONS TO LINE THE ACFT UPWIND OF THE DROP ZONE AS WELL AS CLR OF ANY CLOUDS. THE JUMPERS EXITED AND MAINTAINED THEIR 2000 FT HORIZ SEPARATION AS WELL AS THEIR 500 FT BELOW AND 1000 FT ABOVE PER FAR 105. A DISGRUNTLED FORMER EMPLOYEE VIDEOTAPED THE JUMPERS FROM THE GND AT THE DROP ZONE APPROX 1 MI AWAY. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY SEEN THIS VIDEO, I UNDERSTAND HE HAS CALLED THE FAA AND THEY HAVE VIEWED IT. UPON INVESTIGATING THIS SIT THE FAA VIEWED A FREE FALL CAMERAMAN'S VIDEO TAPE WHICH WAS SHOT ON THE JUMP IN QUESTION. I PERSONALLY HAVE VIEWED THIS TAPE TO WHICH LEGAL CLOUD SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED. ONE CANNOT ACCURATELY ESTIMATE A JUMPER'S OR ACFT'S DISTANCE FROM CLOUDS FROM THE GND. I BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE VIEWED FROM ABOVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPTR IS EMPLOYED WITH A PART 91 OP AND HAS A SUGGESTION REGARDING PART 105. THE FAR WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 1969 AND THE INTENT OF ALL OF THE RULES MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE ANYMORE. IN THE PAST, THE PARACHUTES IN USE DID NOT HAVE THE MANEUVERABILITY THAT THEY NOW HAVE, WITH THE RAM-AIR DESIGN. THE PIC IS HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF THE JUMPER WHEN THE PIC REALLY HAS NO CTL OVER THE JUMPERS ONCE THEY ARE OUT OF THE ACFT. AS A SIDE NOTE: THE RAM-AIR CHUTE IS CONSTRUCTED OF CELLS THAT FILL WITH AIR AT THE FRONT AND HAVE A SEALED TRAILING EDGE. THEY ARE CAPABLE OF A FORWARD SPEED OF 20 SM PER MIN, AND HAVE A GLIDE RATIO OF 3 FT FORWARD FOR EVERY FT VERTLY LOST. THE JUMPERS USUALLY FREE FALL UNTIL 5000 FT.

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.