2 skydivers jumped from a DHC6 twin otter without the pilot's permission over a cloud deck.

Attributes
ACN	503100
Time
Date	200102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x26.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 13500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Twin Otter DHC-6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : holding
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	503100
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying skydivers over X26 sebastian airport. There was a scattered layer of clouds with bases about 5000 ft. One cloud was over the north side of the airport. There was adequate space to the south of the cloud to let the skydivers out legally and they would still be over the airport. I was going to accomplish this by flying 2-3 passes to get everyone out legally. On my second pass, there were 2 jumpers left, a tandem and his student. I turned the 'go' light off as we approached the cloud. I was going to offer the jumpers another pass when they left the airplane without my authority/authorized. We were over clouds and I did not view them on the way down, but there is a good chance they jumped through the clouds. I questioned the tandem master and he denied going through clouds. I also warned that if he does not wait for my authority/authorized in the future, I will not allow him to fly on my airplane. When I landed, I noticed some men taking pictures. I am not sure whether they may have been FAA or not, but this was an isolated incident and I do not want to have my license violated for someone else's bad judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 SKYDIVERS JUMPED FROM A DHC6 TWIN OTTER WITHOUT THE PLT'S PERMISSION OVER A CLOUD DECK.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING SKYDIVERS OVER X26 SEBASTIAN ARPT. THERE WAS A SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS WITH BASES ABOUT 5000 FT. ONE CLOUD WAS OVER THE N SIDE OF THE ARPT. THERE WAS ADEQUATE SPACE TO THE S OF THE CLOUD TO LET THE SKYDIVERS OUT LEGALLY AND THEY WOULD STILL BE OVER THE ARPT. I WAS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BY FLYING 2-3 PASSES TO GET EVERYONE OUT LEGALLY. ON MY SECOND PASS, THERE WERE 2 JUMPERS LEFT, A TANDEM AND HIS STUDENT. I TURNED THE 'GO' LIGHT OFF AS WE APCHED THE CLOUD. I WAS GOING TO OFFER THE JUMPERS ANOTHER PASS WHEN THEY LEFT THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT MY AUTH. WE WERE OVER CLOUDS AND I DID NOT VIEW THEM ON THE WAY DOWN, BUT THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY JUMPED THROUGH THE CLOUDS. I QUESTIONED THE TANDEM MASTER AND HE DENIED GOING THROUGH CLOUDS. I ALSO WARNED THAT IF HE DOES NOT WAIT FOR MY AUTH IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO FLY ON MY AIRPLANE. WHEN I LANDED, I NOTICED SOME MEN TAKING PICTURES. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER THEY MAY HAVE BEEN FAA OR NOT, BUT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE MY LICENSE VIOLATED FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S BAD JUDGEMENT.

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.