Pilot of PA30T has near midair collision with skydivers descending through scattered clouds. Extreme...

Attributes
ACN	399935
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zph
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-30 Twin Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	399935
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 500

Narrative:

In a descent, being vectored to lal we were cleared from 3000 ft MSL to 2000 ft MSL by tampa approach. A heading was assigned for vectors to the lake parker arrival. The scattered cloud layer was at approximately 3000 ft MSL in this area. ATC's vectors brought us right over zph airport. At approximately 1/2 NM northwest of the airport we were descending through 2500 ft MSL when about 10 skydivers under canopy appeared around and coming out of the scattered clouds. 2 skydivers were at our 12 O'clock position at about 500 ft when extreme evasive action was taken. A rapid descent was successful in avoiding a fatal situation. At no time in our descent was an advisory given to us concerning the skydiving activities. While it is our responsibility to maintain visual separation under VMC, the scattered cloud deck was responsible for intermittent IMC in the descent. Upon further review of the charts, V7-521 overlays zph directly. This airport should be required to report skydiving activity to prevent further occurrences of this type. In addition ATC should be aware on VFR days that this activity is taking place and aircraft being vectored should be directed safely away from this area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA30T HAS NMAC WITH SKYDIVERS DSNDING THROUGH SCATTERED CLOUDS. EXTREME MANEUVERS REQUIRED TO AVOID CONTACT.

Narrative: IN A DSCNT, BEING VECTORED TO LAL WE WERE CLRED FROM 3000 FT MSL TO 2000 FT MSL BY TAMPA APCH. A HEADING WAS ASSIGNED FOR VECTORS TO THE LAKE PARKER ARR. THE SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER WAS AT APPROX 3000 FT MSL IN THIS AREA. ATC'S VECTORS BROUGHT US RIGHT OVER ZPH ARPT. AT APPROX 1/2 NM NW OF THE ARPT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 2500 FT MSL WHEN ABOUT 10 SKYDIVERS UNDER CANOPY APPEARED AROUND AND COMING OUT OF THE SCATTERED CLOUDS. 2 SKYDIVERS WERE AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS AT ABOUT 500 FT WHEN EXTREME EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. A RAPID DSCNT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN AVOIDING A FATAL SIT. AT NO TIME IN OUR DSCNT WAS AN ADVISORY GIVEN TO US CONCERNING THE SKYDIVING ACTIVITIES. WHILE IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION UNDER VMC, THE SCATTERED CLOUD DECK WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERMITTENT IMC IN THE DSCNT. UPON FURTHER REVIEW OF THE CHARTS, V7-521 OVERLAYS ZPH DIRECTLY. THIS ARPT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RPT SKYDIVING ACTIVITY TO PREVENT FURTHER OCCURRENCES OF THIS TYPE. IN ADDITION ATC SHOULD BE AWARE ON VFR DAYS THAT THIS ACTIVITY IS TAKING PLACE AND ACFT BEING VECTORED SHOULD BE DIRECTED SAFELY AWAY FROM THIS AREA.

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.

Pilot of PA30T has near midair collision with skydivers descending through scattered clouds. Extreme maneuvers required to avoid contact.