Center advised jump aircraft of traffic in jump zone. Reporter acknowledged but his push to talk was...

Attributes
ACN	367466
Time
Date	199704
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 6w6
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	367466
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While conducting skydiving activities over hanover, PA, contact was made with ZNY advising them we were climbing through 7000 ft going to 10000 ft with skydivers. We were advised to squawk identify (1200). After radar contact we were advised to call 1 min before jumpers away. While level at 10000 ft and on the jump run we advised 1 min to jumpers away. Center acknowledged. A few seconds later center advised traffic 2 mi northeast of our location swbound at 4000 ft. The traffic was observed and determined to be no factor to our drop. We replied to center 'have that traffic, no factor.' at the time center was busy and was working other traffic in addition to us. A few seconds later they called back and we thought they had called out other traffic 3 mi to our north, (which also would have been no factor) and wanted an acknowledgment. We advised we were looking. Actually there was no traffic north and they wanted acknowledgment on the first call. We advised jumper away about 1 min later. Center called and wanted to know if we were disregarding TA's. We replied that we had acknowledged the traffic at 4000 ft and mistakenly thought he had called other traffic to our north. It was determined that the reason center did not get our first acknowledgment was because of a faulty push to talk switch which was operating intermittently. The switch was replaced before the next flight and no problems when activities were resumed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTR ADVISED JUMP ACFT OF TFC IN JUMP ZONE. RPTR ACKNOWLEDGED BUT HIS PUSH TO TALK WAS INTERMITTENT. TFC WAS NO FACTOR AND JUMPERS WERE RELEASED. WHEN CTR WAS ADVISED JUMPERS WERE AWAY, HE THOUGHT RPTR HAD IGNORED HIS TA.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING SKYDIVING ACTIVITIES OVER HANOVER, PA, CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ZNY ADVISING THEM WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 7000 FT GOING TO 10000 FT WITH SKYDIVERS. WE WERE ADVISED TO SQUAWK IDENT (1200). AFTER RADAR CONTACT WE WERE ADVISED TO CALL 1 MIN BEFORE JUMPERS AWAY. WHILE LEVEL AT 10000 FT AND ON THE JUMP RUN WE ADVISED 1 MIN TO JUMPERS AWAY. CTR ACKNOWLEDGED. A FEW SECONDS LATER CTR ADVISED TFC 2 MI NE OF OUR LOCATION SWBOUND AT 4000 FT. THE TFC WAS OBSERVED AND DETERMINED TO BE NO FACTOR TO OUR DROP. WE REPLIED TO CTR 'HAVE THAT TFC, NO FACTOR.' AT THE TIME CTR WAS BUSY AND WAS WORKING OTHER TFC IN ADDITION TO US. A FEW SECONDS LATER THEY CALLED BACK AND WE THOUGHT THEY HAD CALLED OUT OTHER TFC 3 MI TO OUR N, (WHICH ALSO WOULD HAVE BEEN NO FACTOR) AND WANTED AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT. WE ADVISED WE WERE LOOKING. ACTUALLY THERE WAS NO TFC N AND THEY WANTED ACKNOWLEDGMENT ON THE FIRST CALL. WE ADVISED JUMPER AWAY ABOUT 1 MIN LATER. CTR CALLED AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE DISREGARDING TA'S. WE REPLIED THAT WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE TFC AT 4000 FT AND MISTAKENLY THOUGHT HE HAD CALLED OTHER TFC TO OUR N. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REASON CTR DID NOT GET OUR FIRST ACKNOWLEDGMENT WAS BECAUSE OF A FAULTY PUSH TO TALK SWITCH WHICH WAS OPERATING INTERMITTENTLY. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED BEFORE THE NEXT FLT AND NO PROBS WHEN ACTIVITIES WERE RESUMED.

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.

Center advised jump aircraft of traffic in jump zone. Reporter acknowledged but his push to talk was intermittent. Traffic was no factor and jumpers were released. When center was advised jumpers were away, he thought reporter had ignored his TA.