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Bell jet ranger helicopter pilot was making an approach to 3d7 heliport at texas motor speedway. During the approach he saw and avoided parachute jumpers.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 414410 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199809 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ttt airport : 3d7 |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : afw |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Jet Ranger Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 5100 |
| ASRS Report | 414410 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 9000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Alliance airport, fort worth, tx, has texas motor speedway approximately 3 1/2 mi north of the airport. Tower has designated helicopter frequency 122.85 for landing and departing afw. Coordination for parachuters into the speedway at approximately XA00, no notice was given on our 122.85 frequency for jumpers away from 3000 ft AGL. I was on 1/2 mi short final to the heliport when I first noticed approximately 6 parachutes overhead approximately 2000 ft MSL. I landed with no conflict. Note, when I called fort worth FSS, there were no NOTAMS for the speedway or alliance airport. The NOTAM was at dfw (makes no sense). Fort worth FSS said new way of NOTAM classification -- that's why I couldn't find any NOTAMS on afw. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot was flying a bell jet ranger helicopter after a conscientious effort to find jump NOTAMS for 3d7 and afw he was unable to find any. On short final to 3d7 he was startled to see jumpers above his aircraft. After landing he contacted fort worth FSS. After a 30 min search, the FSS specialist found a NOTAM for dfw. Texas motor speedway is 310 degrees, 26 NM from dfw. It is 360 degrees, 3 NM from afw. Afw is the controling airspace. A special helicopter frequency is established for operations by afw. No one at afw know of the jump activity. The reporter states the FAA has established a new NOTAM issuing procedure. The pilot does not think this new procedure is adequate and recommends a return to the old one.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BELL JET RANGER HELI PLT WAS MAKING AN APCH TO 3D7 HELIPORT AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. DURING THE APCH HE SAW AND AVOIDED PARACHUTE JUMPERS.
Narrative: ALLIANCE ARPT, FORT WORTH, TX, HAS TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY APPROX 3 1/2 MI N OF THE ARPT. TWR HAS DESIGNATED HELI FREQ 122.85 FOR LNDG AND DEPARTING AFW. COORD FOR PARACHUTERS INTO THE SPEEDWAY AT APPROX XA00, NO NOTICE WAS GIVEN ON OUR 122.85 FREQ FOR JUMPERS AWAY FROM 3000 FT AGL. I WAS ON 1/2 MI SHORT FINAL TO THE HELIPORT WHEN I FIRST NOTICED APPROX 6 PARACHUTES OVERHEAD APPROX 2000 FT MSL. I LANDED WITH NO CONFLICT. NOTE, WHEN I CALLED FORT WORTH FSS, THERE WERE NO NOTAMS FOR THE SPEEDWAY OR ALLIANCE ARPT. THE NOTAM WAS AT DFW (MAKES NO SENSE). FORT WORTH FSS SAID NEW WAY OF NOTAM CLASSIFICATION -- THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T FIND ANY NOTAMS ON AFW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT WAS FLYING A BELL JET RANGER HELI AFTER A CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT TO FIND JUMP NOTAMS FOR 3D7 AND AFW HE WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY. ON SHORT FINAL TO 3D7 HE WAS STARTLED TO SEE JUMPERS ABOVE HIS ACFT. AFTER LNDG HE CONTACTED FORT WORTH FSS. AFTER A 30 MIN SEARCH, THE FSS SPECIALIST FOUND A NOTAM FOR DFW. TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS 310 DEGS, 26 NM FROM DFW. IT IS 360 DEGS, 3 NM FROM AFW. AFW IS THE CTLING AIRSPACE. A SPECIAL HELI FREQ IS ESTABLISHED FOR OPS BY AFW. NO ONE AT AFW KNOW OF THE JUMP ACTIVITY. THE RPTR STATES THE FAA HAS ESTABLISHED A NEW NOTAM ISSUING PROC. THE PLT DOES NOT THINK THIS NEW PROC IS ADEQUATE AND RECOMMENDS A RETURN TO THE OLD ONE.
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.