Narrative:

While nne of phl we received clearance to 4000 ft and 170 degree heading for downwind to runway 35 at phl about 12-15 miles sse of phl still on 170 degree heading and 4000 ft we saw what at first appeared to be a WX balloon. It was a little above us at our 11-1130 to 12 O'clock position moving left to right and descending slowly. Within a few seconds we saw that it was a parachute and at our 12-1230 position. It appeared to turn towards us and was closing rapidly. We aggressively maneuvered to the left away from the chute and traffic on final for runway 35. As we rolled out from the turn we then saw 4-5 more chutes open approximately 300 ft above our left wing. We again aggressively maneuvered to the right and rolled out on a 120 degree heading and advised ATC of the incident. ATC turned us to 150 degrees and then to 270 degrees. The captain informed the controller that had we not maneuvered when we did it could have been quite ugly. The controller answered saying 'yeah I know they never made any calls for the drop. And I'm having them call here when they get on the ground.' in my opinion this incident occurred due to the jump planes failure to notify ATC they had jumpers away. Also in my opinion skydiving activities should not be allowed in such close proximity to or in class B airspace. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: crew was on a right base for runway 35 approximately 4 mi abeam the airport. The first officer was flying when the captain grabbed the wheel and made a maximum turn rate to the left. The parachutists passed so close that the reporter could see the expression on the jumpers face. Reporter questions why the FAA allows jump activity anywhere near air carrier airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC-8A CREW HAD NMAC WITH SIX SKY DIVERS IN PHL CLASS B.

Narrative: WHILE NNE OF PHL WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO 4000 FT AND 170 DEG HEADING FOR DOWNWIND TO RWY 35 AT PHL ABOUT 12-15 MILES SSE OF PHL STILL ON 170 DEG HEADING AND 4000 FT WE SAW WHAT AT FIRST APPEARED TO BE A WX BALLOON. IT WAS A LITTLE ABOVE US AT OUR 11-1130 TO 12 O'CLOCK POS MOVING L TO R AND DESCENDING SLOWLY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS WE SAW THAT IT WAS A PARACHUTE AND AT OUR 12-1230 POS. IT APPEARED TO TURN TOWARDS US AND WAS CLOSING RAPIDLY. WE AGGRESSIVELY MANEUVERED TO THE L AWAY FROM THE CHUTE AND TFC ON FINAL FOR RWY 35. AS WE ROLLED OUT FROM THE TURN WE THEN SAW 4-5 MORE CHUTES OPEN APPROX 300 FT ABOVE OUR L WING. WE AGAIN AGGRESSIVELY MANEUVERED TO THE R AND ROLLED OUT ON A 120 DEG HEADING AND ADVISED ATC OF THE INCIDENT. ATC TURNED US TO 150 DEGS AND THEN TO 270 DEGS. THE CAPT INFORMED THE CTLR THAT HAD WE NOT MANEUVERED WHEN WE DID IT COULD HAVE BEEN QUITE UGLY. THE CTLR ANSWERED SAYING 'YEAH I KNOW THEY NEVER MADE ANY CALLS FOR THE DROP. AND I'M HAVING THEM CALL HERE WHEN THEY GET ON THE GROUND.' IN MY OPINION THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THE JUMP PLANES FAILURE TO NOTIFY ATC THEY HAD JUMPERS AWAY. ALSO IN MY OPINION SKYDIVING ACTIVITIES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OR IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CREW WAS ON A R BASE FOR RWY 35 APPROX 4 MI ABEAM THE ARPT. THE FO WAS FLYING WHEN THE CAPT GRABBED THE WHEEL AND MADE A MAX TURN RATE TO THE L. THE PARACHUTISTS PASSED SO CLOSE THAT THE RPTR COULD SEE THE EXPRESSION ON THE JUMPERS FACE. RPTR QUESTIONS WHY THE FAA ALLOWS JUMP ACTIVITY ANYWHERE NEAR ACR ARPT.

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.