Narrative:

Flying a C182 on sep/xa/99 around XA00, I was almost rammed by what may have been a gulfstream G4 bizjet that passed about 100 ft under my right wing just as the jump master was about to climb out of the airplane at 11600 ft MSL. This took place over new hanover, PA (N62), 5 NM north of the pottstown VOR. Both airplanes were in contact with ZNY on 135.75. Below 9000 ft MSL, I announced the pending jump 5 mins in advance over the unicom frequency 122.9 used at our new hanover airport. Later I communicated with both ZNY and phl approach 2 mins prior to jump. ZNY pointed out my jump plane to the jet pilot. I did not know where the jet was or where it was coming from. Our door was open and the jump master was performing her last spot check prior to exiting and saw the approaching jet. By the time she yelled something, the jet passed underneath. We were right over our drop zone and both airplanes were on a heading of 310 degrees, flying almost towards the sun. It seems the jet was holding 11500 ft. A few mi after passing, the jet pilot inquired if we were a jump plane and ZNY acknowledged that fact and indicated that we should not be allowed to jump in the area. Occasionally, we notice that ZNY does not wish to talk to us. I guess the above comment explains why. We usually switch from phl approach 123.8 or 126.85 to ZNY on 135.75 upon passing 9000 ft MSL. If possible, we monitor both frequencys. In that particular C182 the radio allowed only 1 frequency to be monitored. Even when flying other airplanes we occasionally have to turn down the volume for the other frequency due to busy conversations on both channels. V12, V143, V29-408, V403 and V405 all pass through the pottstown VOR and we see quite some traffic heading over the VOR coming or going into phl airport. I guess the reason for the jet to be 5 NM north of the VOR has to do with the direct rtes from almost any airport to another across the country. Phl approach frequently gives heading changes to commuters or other traffic below 9000 ft MSL to avoid our drop zone. Occasionally we get directions to avoid traffic. I don't know how to avoid this scenario in the future, except for not flying at all or moving the airport with the skydiving activity. When TCASII becomes more affordable for smaller airplanes this should help avoid aluminum in the air. It would also help if the controllers were able to give TA's. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that normally ATC is very helpful in providing assistance according to far 105. Reporter also stated that he believes there are always a few controllers that are not as cooperative.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CONTENDS THAT ZNY CTLRS ARE NOT TOO HELPFUL IN PROVIDING TA'S FOR SKYDIVING JUMP ACFT, AS EVIDENCED BY THE NMAC WITH ACFT Y.

Narrative: FLYING A C182 ON SEP/XA/99 AROUND XA00, I WAS ALMOST RAMMED BY WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN A GULFSTREAM G4 BIZJET THAT PASSED ABOUT 100 FT UNDER MY R WING JUST AS THE JUMP MASTER WAS ABOUT TO CLB OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AT 11600 FT MSL. THIS TOOK PLACE OVER NEW HANOVER, PA (N62), 5 NM N OF THE POTTSTOWN VOR. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE IN CONTACT WITH ZNY ON 135.75. BELOW 9000 FT MSL, I ANNOUNCED THE PENDING JUMP 5 MINS IN ADVANCE OVER THE UNICOM FREQ 122.9 USED AT OUR NEW HANOVER ARPT. LATER I COMMUNICATED WITH BOTH ZNY AND PHL APCH 2 MINS PRIOR TO JUMP. ZNY POINTED OUT MY JUMP PLANE TO THE JET PLT. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE JET WAS OR WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. OUR DOOR WAS OPEN AND THE JUMP MASTER WAS PERFORMING HER LAST SPOT CHK PRIOR TO EXITING AND SAW THE APCHING JET. BY THE TIME SHE YELLED SOMETHING, THE JET PASSED UNDERNEATH. WE WERE RIGHT OVER OUR DROP ZONE AND BOTH AIRPLANES WERE ON A HDG OF 310 DEGS, FLYING ALMOST TOWARDS THE SUN. IT SEEMS THE JET WAS HOLDING 11500 FT. A FEW MI AFTER PASSING, THE JET PLT INQUIRED IF WE WERE A JUMP PLANE AND ZNY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FACT AND INDICATED THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO JUMP IN THE AREA. OCCASIONALLY, WE NOTICE THAT ZNY DOES NOT WISH TO TALK TO US. I GUESS THE ABOVE COMMENT EXPLAINS WHY. WE USUALLY SWITCH FROM PHL APCH 123.8 OR 126.85 TO ZNY ON 135.75 UPON PASSING 9000 FT MSL. IF POSSIBLE, WE MONITOR BOTH FREQS. IN THAT PARTICULAR C182 THE RADIO ALLOWED ONLY 1 FREQ TO BE MONITORED. EVEN WHEN FLYING OTHER AIRPLANES WE OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO TURN DOWN THE VOLUME FOR THE OTHER FREQ DUE TO BUSY CONVERSATIONS ON BOTH CHANNELS. V12, V143, V29-408, V403 AND V405 ALL PASS THROUGH THE POTTSTOWN VOR AND WE SEE QUITE SOME TFC HDG OVER THE VOR COMING OR GOING INTO PHL ARPT. I GUESS THE REASON FOR THE JET TO BE 5 NM N OF THE VOR HAS TO DO WITH THE DIRECT RTES FROM ALMOST ANY ARPT TO ANOTHER ACROSS THE COUNTRY. PHL APCH FREQUENTLY GIVES HDG CHANGES TO COMMUTERS OR OTHER TFC BELOW 9000 FT MSL TO AVOID OUR DROP ZONE. OCCASIONALLY WE GET DIRECTIONS TO AVOID TFC. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO AVOID THIS SCENARIO IN THE FUTURE, EXCEPT FOR NOT FLYING AT ALL OR MOVING THE ARPT WITH THE SKYDIVING ACTIVITY. WHEN TCASII BECOMES MORE AFFORDABLE FOR SMALLER AIRPLANES THIS SHOULD HELP AVOID ALUMINUM IN THE AIR. IT WOULD ALSO HELP IF THE CTLRS WERE ABLE TO GIVE TA'S. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT NORMALLY ATC IS VERY HELPFUL IN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE ACCORDING TO FAR 105. RPTR ALSO STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THERE ARE ALWAYS A FEW CTLRS THAT ARE NOT AS COOPERATIVE.

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.