An small aircraft observer admits that his pilot strayed into the zph parachute jump zone while para...

Attributes
ACN	357265
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zph
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	357265
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 150
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was assisting a pilot flying north east of tampa. We had received a beacon code from tampa approach. Approximately 20 mi south of lakeland VOR, we overheard xmissions between approach and a jump aircraft advising of jumpers from 10000 ft MSL over zph. Some time later, we heard that the jump aircraft would be landing to pick up more jumpers. We heard no further advisories from any jump aircraft. As we approached zph, we diverted 2 mi to the east to avoid any potential conflicts with jumpers. We observed an aircraft which had departed zph on runway 4 and was making a climbing right (non standard) turn. The observed track would put us in conflict, so we made a slight left turn towards the airport. The departing aircraft continued the climbing turn and we decided to turn directly to the airport and overfly the center to avoid this aircraft. As the departing aircraft passed 2000 ft off our right, approach advised us of the traffic and that it was a jump aircraft. As we were nearly over the airport, the pilot observed several parachutes above (at 3000 ft MSL) and to the left of us. The pilot executed a hard right turn (30 degree bank) and we departed the area. We never observed or overheard xmissions from the other jump aircraft. Factors contributing to this incident include our not listening in on the local CTAF and the turn towards the airport to avoid traffic. We both agreed that the safest place to overfly an airport is directly over the top. Had I been acting pilot, we would have been on an IFR flight plan at 4000-5000 ft and in a scattered to broken cumulus layer with little chance of observing jumpers. The jump aircraft over zph had never contacted tampa approach advising that jumpers were away. An additional factor was the non standard departure of the other jump aircraft which led to confusion about his intentions. I suggest that aircraft involved in jump operations squawk a specific beacon code, particularly when making high altitude jumps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA OBSERVER ADMITS THAT HIS PLT STRAYED INTO THE ZPH PARACHUTE JUMP ZONE WHILE PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY WAS IN PROGRESS. THE JUMP ZONE IS PUBLISHED ON THE APPROPRIATE CHART AND IN THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY.

Narrative: I WAS ASSISTING A PLT FLYING N E OF TAMPA. WE HAD RECEIVED A BEACON CODE FROM TAMPA APCH. APPROX 20 MI S OF LAKELAND VOR, WE OVERHEARD XMISSIONS BTWN APCH AND A JUMP ACFT ADVISING OF JUMPERS FROM 10000 FT MSL OVER ZPH. SOME TIME LATER, WE HEARD THAT THE JUMP ACFT WOULD BE LNDG TO PICK UP MORE JUMPERS. WE HEARD NO FURTHER ADVISORIES FROM ANY JUMP ACFT. AS WE APCHED ZPH, WE DIVERTED 2 MI TO THE E TO AVOID ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS WITH JUMPERS. WE OBSERVED AN ACFT WHICH HAD DEPARTED ZPH ON RWY 4 AND WAS MAKING A CLBING R (NON STANDARD) TURN. THE OBSERVED TRACK WOULD PUT US IN CONFLICT, SO WE MADE A SLIGHT L TURN TOWARDS THE ARPT. THE DEPARTING ACFT CONTINUED THE CLBING TURN AND WE DECIDED TO TURN DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT AND OVERFLY THE CTR TO AVOID THIS ACFT. AS THE DEPARTING ACFT PASSED 2000 FT OFF OUR R, APCH ADVISED US OF THE TFC AND THAT IT WAS A JUMP ACFT. AS WE WERE NEARLY OVER THE ARPT, THE PLT OBSERVED SEVERAL PARACHUTES ABOVE (AT 3000 FT MSL) AND TO THE L OF US. THE PLT EXECUTED A HARD R TURN (30 DEG BANK) AND WE DEPARTED THE AREA. WE NEVER OBSERVED OR OVERHEARD XMISSIONS FROM THE OTHER JUMP ACFT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT INCLUDE OUR NOT LISTENING IN ON THE LCL CTAF AND THE TURN TOWARDS THE ARPT TO AVOID TFC. WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE SAFEST PLACE TO OVERFLY AN ARPT IS DIRECTLY OVER THE TOP. HAD I BEEN ACTING PLT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT 4000-5000 FT AND IN A SCATTERED TO BROKEN CUMULUS LAYER WITH LITTLE CHANCE OF OBSERVING JUMPERS. THE JUMP ACFT OVER ZPH HAD NEVER CONTACTED TAMPA APCH ADVISING THAT JUMPERS WERE AWAY. AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR WAS THE NON STANDARD DEP OF THE OTHER JUMP ACFT WHICH LED TO CONFUSION ABOUT HIS INTENTIONS. I SUGGEST THAT ACFT INVOLVED IN JUMP OPS SQUAWK A SPECIFIC BEACON CODE, PARTICULARLY WHEN MAKING HIGH ALT JUMPS.

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.

An small aircraft observer admits that his pilot strayed into the zph parachute jump zone while parachute jumping activity was in progress. The jump zone is published on the appropriate chart and in the airport facilities directory.