<< >> NASA ASRS Report 404428, May 1998

Approaching dfw from approximately 30 mi northwest, an air carrier crew observed a parachute jumper in free fall off the left side of the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	404428
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : roc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	404428
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During arrival to dfw approach issued instructions to turn to 110 degree heading after hikay for runway 13R. Later the controller changed the instructions to turn to 100 degree heading for runway 18R. I do not recall when we did do our actual turn, but it must have been early because the captain reported seeing a parachute jumper go by the left side of the aircraft in marginal VFR conditions. When asked about the parachute jumpers, the controller stated they were in the area, but had not jumped yet. It is possible that I turned to the heading of 100 degrees before I was supposed to. I obviously believe these parachute operations near our arrival corridor is ludicrous and not in the kind of controled environment, I would expect. I had no idea parachute jumpers were in my same airspace until the captain said there went a free-falling jumper.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCHING DFW FROM APPROX 30 MI NW, AN ACR CREW OBSERVED A PARACHUTE JUMPER IN FREE FALL OFF THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: DURING ARR TO DFW APCH ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN TO 110 DEG HDG AFTER HIKAY FOR RWY 13R. LATER THE CTLR CHANGED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN TO 100 DEG HDG FOR RWY 18R. I DO NOT RECALL WHEN WE DID DO OUR ACTUAL TURN, BUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN EARLY BECAUSE THE CAPT RPTED SEEING A PARACHUTE JUMPER GO BY THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT IN MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PARACHUTE JUMPERS, THE CTLR STATED THEY WERE IN THE AREA, BUT HAD NOT JUMPED YET. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I TURNED TO THE HDG OF 100 DEGS BEFORE I WAS SUPPOSED TO. I OBVIOUSLY BELIEVE THESE PARACHUTE OPS NEAR OUR ARR CORRIDOR IS LUDICROUS AND NOT IN THE KIND OF CTLED ENVIRONMENT, I WOULD EXPECT. I HAD NO IDEA PARACHUTE JUMPERS WERE IN MY SAME AIRSPACE UNTIL THE CAPT SAID THERE WENT A FREE-FALLING JUMPER.

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.