Narrative:

Location: dfw 315 degree radial, 30 DME. On radar vector in descent through approximately 7000 ft, captain PNF noticed object resembling freefalling parachutist descend through altitude at aircraft 11 O'clock, 1/8 mi or less -- close enough to recognize a body and chute pack. Captain PNF queried controller if jumpers were in vicinity. He answered affirmative but they were holding. Not. Flight conditions marginal VFR at best. Aircraft exterior lights on. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the location given was only approximate and could be wrong since he became so startled after observing the skydiver so close that he was not probably accurate in his description of the location. However, he did learn in a subsequent conversation with ATC that they had told him that he had turned too early off the STAR routing causing him to become closer than ATC intended for him to be. He has asked for their recording readback of the incident to ascertain if the first officer flying did actually turn too early. This is the first time that he has ever observed a free falling skydiver.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MD80 IS STARTLED TO OBSERVE A FREE FALLING SKYDIVER FALLING THROUGH HIS ALT APPROX 500 FT OFF THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT'S NOSE DURING A VECTOR WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT ON THE DFW BOWIE STAR ARR. WHEN QUESTIONING ATC, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE JUMPERS WERE HOLDING.

Narrative: LOCATION: DFW 315 DEG RADIAL, 30 DME. ON RADAR VECTOR IN DSCNT THROUGH APPROX 7000 FT, CAPT PNF NOTICED OBJECT RESEMBLING FREEFALLING PARACHUTIST DSND THROUGH ALT AT ACFT 11 O'CLOCK, 1/8 MI OR LESS -- CLOSE ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE A BODY AND CHUTE PACK. CAPT PNF QUERIED CTLR IF JUMPERS WERE IN VICINITY. HE ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVE BUT THEY WERE HOLDING. NOT. FLT CONDITIONS MARGINAL VFR AT BEST. ACFT EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE LOCATION GIVEN WAS ONLY APPROXIMATE AND COULD BE WRONG SINCE HE BECAME SO STARTLED AFTER OBSERVING THE SKYDIVER SO CLOSE THAT HE WAS NOT PROBABLY ACCURATE IN HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION. HOWEVER, HE DID LEARN IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION WITH ATC THAT THEY HAD TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD TURNED TOO EARLY OFF THE STAR ROUTING CAUSING HIM TO BECOME CLOSER THAN ATC INTENDED FOR HIM TO BE. HE HAS ASKED FOR THEIR RECORDING READBACK OF THE INCIDENT TO ASCERTAIN IF THE FO FLYING DID ACTUALLY TURN TOO EARLY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE HAS EVER OBSERVED A FREE FALLING SKYDIVER.

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.