Near midair collision between small aircraft and skydivers.

Attributes
ACN	437786
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 4a4.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 1000 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	437786
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical conflict : nmac inflight encounter : skydivers
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We had departed a chattanooga area airport (private) and flown to a private field 3 mi southwest of 4a4. Along the way we announced east of rmg at 2000 ft and then west of 4a4 because we were aware that wkend parachuting is common at both airports. We did not get a reply, which is not uncommon. We then landed at the private field and at approximately XA50 hours departed as a flight of 4 for a small strip northwest of calhoun, GA. We were communicating on 123.45 air-to-air and, during the takeoff, chatter and forming up I forgot to fly east or west of 4a4 and also forgot to announce the flight of 4. My first realization of the parachutists was one of our group planes saying 'look out, we got jumpers ahead.' I saw them at that time and pulled up sharp while looking up for more jumpers. The lesson is an old one: don't let the excitement of the moment take away from basic safety procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN SMA AND SKYDIVERS.

Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED A CHATTANOOGA AREA ARPT (PVT) AND FLOWN TO A PVT FIELD 3 MI SW OF 4A4. ALONG THE WAY WE ANNOUNCED E OF RMG AT 2000 FT AND THEN W OF 4A4 BECAUSE WE WERE AWARE THAT WKEND PARACHUTING IS COMMON AT BOTH ARPTS. WE DID NOT GET A REPLY, WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON. WE THEN LANDED AT THE PVT FIELD AND AT APPROX XA50 HRS DEPARTED AS A FLT OF 4 FOR A SMALL STRIP NW OF CALHOUN, GA. WE WERE COMMUNICATING ON 123.45 AIR-TO-AIR AND, DURING THE TKOF, CHATTER AND FORMING UP I FORGOT TO FLY E OR W OF 4A4 AND ALSO FORGOT TO ANNOUNCE THE FLT OF 4. MY FIRST REALIZATION OF THE PARACHUTISTS WAS ONE OF OUR GROUP PLANES SAYING 'LOOK OUT, WE GOT JUMPERS AHEAD.' I SAW THEM AT THAT TIME AND PULLED UP SHARP WHILE LOOKING UP FOR MORE JUMPERS. THE LESSON IS AN OLD ONE: DON'T LET THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MOMENT TAKE AWAY FROM BASIC SAFETY PROCS.

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.