Narrative:

Approach phl class B airspace just over cross keys airport. The phl controller gave us a 330 degree heading just before pointing out jumpers that were supposed to be at 1 O'clock position. The jumpers were at 11 O'clock position within 1/2 mi at our altitude. I banked hard right 45-50 degrees to miss them, evasive action was taken. After calling phl controllers on the ground, I was told that we were well outside the box that the jumpers were using. But the jumpers were out of the box also. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter's comments: we were handed off to phl approach from acy approach very close to cross keys airport and put on vector heading of 330 degrees at 4000 ft. Flight visibility at the time was about 3-4 mi. Jumping activity was on the ATIS. Phl approach issued traffic on the jumpers on initial contact. The controller said the jumpers were at 2 O'clock, but actually the plane was at 2 O'clock and 3 jumpers were at 11 O'clock at about 4000 ft. Pilot made a hard 45-50 degree bank to miss running into the jumpers. The jump plane was at approximately 12000 ft and wind drift was probably the reason the jumpers were on their left. Controller said he could not see the jumpers on radar, only the jump aircraft. He also told the pilot that the jumpers were outside their box. The commuter pilot said the jumpers were in or very close to class B airspace. Reporter said the area is a very busy commuter route into phl. Most of the traffic originates in the northeast united states and during peak periods there is an inbound about every 20 mins. The commuter pilot would like to see the inbound route to phl changed. Also said when he reported the incident to his company, he was told other pilots had reported similar incidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IN TWIN TURBOPROP ACR 15 MI SE OF PHL ARPT ON APCH VECTOR TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS PARACHUTE JUMPERS WHO WERE IN THE VICINITY OF CROSS KEYS ARPT.

Narrative: APCH PHL CLASS B AIRSPACE JUST OVER CROSS KEYS ARPT. THE PHL CTLR GAVE US A 330 DEG HDG JUST BEFORE POINTING OUT JUMPERS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 1 O'CLOCK POS. THE JUMPERS WERE AT 11 O'CLOCK POS WITHIN 1/2 MI AT OUR ALT. I BANKED HARD R 45-50 DEGS TO MISS THEM, EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. AFTER CALLING PHL CTLRS ON THE GND, I WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE WELL OUTSIDE THE BOX THAT THE JUMPERS WERE USING. BUT THE JUMPERS WERE OUT OF THE BOX ALSO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR'S COMMENTS: WE WERE HANDED OFF TO PHL APCH FROM ACY APCH VERY CLOSE TO CROSS KEYS ARPT AND PUT ON VECTOR HDG OF 330 DEGS AT 4000 FT. FLT VISIBILITY AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 3-4 MI. JUMPING ACTIVITY WAS ON THE ATIS. PHL APCH ISSUED TFC ON THE JUMPERS ON INITIAL CONTACT. THE CTLR SAID THE JUMPERS WERE AT 2 O'CLOCK, BUT ACTUALLY THE PLANE WAS AT 2 O'CLOCK AND 3 JUMPERS WERE AT 11 O'CLOCK AT ABOUT 4000 FT. PLT MADE A HARD 45-50 DEG BANK TO MISS RUNNING INTO THE JUMPERS. THE JUMP PLANE WAS AT APPROX 12000 FT AND WIND DRIFT WAS PROBABLY THE REASON THE JUMPERS WERE ON THEIR L. CTLR SAID HE COULD NOT SEE THE JUMPERS ON RADAR, ONLY THE JUMP ACFT. HE ALSO TOLD THE PLT THAT THE JUMPERS WERE OUTSIDE THEIR BOX. THE COMMUTER PLT SAID THE JUMPERS WERE IN OR VERY CLOSE TO CLASS B AIRSPACE. RPTR SAID THE AREA IS A VERY BUSY COMMUTER RTE INTO PHL. MOST OF THE TFC ORIGINATES IN THE NE UNITED STATES AND DURING PEAK PERIODS THERE IS AN INBOUND ABOUT EVERY 20 MINS. THE COMMUTER PLT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE INBOUND RTE TO PHL CHANGED. ALSO SAID WHEN HE RPTED THE INCIDENT TO HIS COMPANY, HE WAS TOLD OTHER PLTS HAD RPTED SIMILAR INCIDENTS.

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.