A C402A pilot allows his skydivers to drop over and through a layer of clouds 2 mi east of hdh, hi.

Attributes
ACN	447999
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdh.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 402/402C/B379 Businessliner/Utiliner
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 105
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	447999
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was a training jump for a first-time skydiving student. For this jump, 2 aff-rated instructors would accompany the student through preflight. The drop zone area was clear and VFR. There was a cloud layer about 2 NM upwind (ie, east) of the drop zone. The aircraft was on jump run, well before the drop zone. While climbing out, the instructors and student took much longer than usual. By the time they were ready to jump, we had flown over the cloud layer. Instead of climbing back into the plane and starting over, the instructors initiated the jump. As a result, they went through the clouds. Not only is this a violation of far 105, it is also in violation of uspa basic safety requirements and other skydiving regulation. The instructors were told that they exercised extremely poor judgement in jumping with a student through clouds. They agreed and would do a better job in planning their jump run.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C402A PLT ALLOWS HIS SKYDIVERS TO DROP OVER AND THROUGH A LAYER OF CLOUDS 2 MI E OF HDH, HI.

Narrative: THIS WAS A TRAINING JUMP FOR A FIRST-TIME SKYDIVING STUDENT. FOR THIS JUMP, 2 AFF-RATED INSTRUCTORS WOULD ACCOMPANY THE STUDENT THROUGH PREFLT. THE DROP ZONE AREA WAS CLR AND VFR. THERE WAS A CLOUD LAYER ABOUT 2 NM UPWIND (IE, E) OF THE DROP ZONE. THE ACFT WAS ON JUMP RUN, WELL BEFORE THE DROP ZONE. WHILE CLBING OUT, THE INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENT TOOK MUCH LONGER THAN USUAL. BY THE TIME THEY WERE READY TO JUMP, WE HAD FLOWN OVER THE CLOUD LAYER. INSTEAD OF CLBING BACK INTO THE PLANE AND STARTING OVER, THE INSTRUCTORS INITIATED THE JUMP. AS A RESULT, THEY WENT THROUGH THE CLOUDS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A VIOLATION OF FAR 105, IT IS ALSO IN VIOLATION OF USPA BASIC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER SKYDIVING REG. THE INSTRUCTORS WERE TOLD THAT THEY EXERCISED EXTREMELY POOR JUDGEMENT IN JUMPING WITH A STUDENT THROUGH CLOUDS. THEY AGREED AND WOULD DO A BETTER JOB IN PLANNING THEIR JUMP RUN.

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.