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Pilot of skydiving aircraft releases jumpers above '...the area...' of a B727. Pilot had received traffic call on B727 but could not acknowledge having visual on him because of frequency congestion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 366976 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : plr |
| State Reference | AL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 14500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bhm |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13200 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 366976 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
With bhm approach control radar advisories, I was conducting skydiving operations over the plr airport from 14500 ft MSL. Approach control advised of B727 traffic 11 mi west, eastbound, descending from 16000 ft to 11000 ft. Shortly thereafter, I spotted the traffic but was unable to tell approach control that I had visual contact due to frequency congestion. After making certain that the skydivers would have adequate horizontal separation from the B727, I released the jumpers from approximately 14500 ft MSL as the B727 passed through the area at approximately 11000 ft. The captain of the B727 spotted the jumpers in freefall and was upset that he was not notified by approach control of their presence. I talked with the captain of the B727 later that evening by telephone and his main concern seemed to be that we had dropped without having him in sight and that we could have hit him. I assured him that we had him in sight and the released jumpers would be clear or I would not have released the jumpers. Also talked next day to bhm approach control supervisor and was assured by him that after reviewing the approach control tapes that no approach control procedures or FARS were violated. Upon reflection, I feel that it was poor judgement on my part to release the jumpers without, due to the frequency congestion, being able to inform the B727 or bhm approach control that we had the B727 in sight. Recommendation: to the uninitiated, it is startling to see jumpers in freefall, even at a distance. Do not release jumpers until all parties concerned are aware of their presence.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SKYDIVING ACFT RELEASES JUMPERS ABOVE '...THE AREA...' OF A B727. PLT HAD RECEIVED TFC CALL ON B727 BUT COULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE HAVING VISUAL ON HIM BECAUSE OF FREQ CONGESTION.
Narrative: WITH BHM APCH CTL RADAR ADVISORIES, I WAS CONDUCTING SKYDIVING OPS OVER THE PLR ARPT FROM 14500 FT MSL. APCH CTL ADVISED OF B727 TFC 11 MI W, EBOUND, DSNDING FROM 16000 FT TO 11000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I SPOTTED THE TFC BUT WAS UNABLE TO TELL APCH CTL THAT I HAD VISUAL CONTACT DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. AFTER MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE SKYDIVERS WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE HORIZ SEPARATION FROM THE B727, I RELEASED THE JUMPERS FROM APPROX 14500 FT MSL AS THE B727 PASSED THROUGH THE AREA AT APPROX 11000 FT. THE CAPT OF THE B727 SPOTTED THE JUMPERS IN FREEFALL AND WAS UPSET THAT HE WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY APCH CTL OF THEIR PRESENCE. I TALKED WITH THE CAPT OF THE B727 LATER THAT EVENING BY TELEPHONE AND HIS MAIN CONCERN SEEMED TO BE THAT WE HAD DROPPED WITHOUT HAVING HIM IN SIGHT AND THAT WE COULD HAVE HIT HIM. I ASSURED HIM THAT WE HAD HIM IN SIGHT AND THE RELEASED JUMPERS WOULD BE CLR OR I WOULD NOT HAVE RELEASED THE JUMPERS. ALSO TALKED NEXT DAY TO BHM APCH CTL SUPVR AND WAS ASSURED BY HIM THAT AFTER REVIEWING THE APCH CTL TAPES THAT NO APCH CTL PROCS OR FARS WERE VIOLATED. UPON REFLECTION, I FEEL THAT IT WAS POOR JUDGEMENT ON MY PART TO RELEASE THE JUMPERS WITHOUT, DUE TO THE FREQ CONGESTION, BEING ABLE TO INFORM THE B727 OR BHM APCH CTL THAT WE HAD THE B727 IN SIGHT. RECOMMENDATION: TO THE UNINITIATED, IT IS STARTLING TO SEE JUMPERS IN FREEFALL, EVEN AT A DISTANCE. DO NOT RELEASE JUMPERS UNTIL ALL PARTIES CONCERNED ARE AWARE OF THEIR PRESENCE.
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.