Narrative:

At 2700 ft, I was approaching taz, from the southwest. I was monitoring 122.8 from 18 NM out. My intent was to do touch and go's at taz. I know the area well and know that parachute activity is present on the weekends. At 10 NM, I announced my position and intentions from that point until I was 2 NM out, slowed down to 75 KTS, at 2700 ft and I looked up to see jumpers above the airport. I immediately turned east and proceeded for 1 mi. During that time a cessna pilot called my n-number and asked how I was reading him, I replied, loud and clear. After that I turned north for another 2 mins, then turned west for another 2 mins, at that point I turned south. As the airport came in view from my left, I announced on 122.8 that I was west of the airport, with the intent of departure the area to the southwest. At no time during that 18 NM approach to the airport did I hear any report on 122.8 'that jumpers were away at taz.' as a complicating factor there was jumping activity simultaneously at vla, just 25 NM to the southeast of taz... They also use 122.8. And I heard plenty of radio announcements concerning their jumping. Getting out of the way was my first concern. Aborting my tough and go's was a given...for me the overriding safety concern was the lack of communication. At 10 NM, my announcement of position would certainly have alerted the jump pilot and at the very least deserved a heads up return call...a secondary factor is 122.8. I have complained to the FAA for yrs that this system of CTAF is both antiquated and potentially dangerous and needs to be changed. I mention this because in this reported incident, it is conceivable, that with the frequency cluttered with chatter as it was (from many different locs...some of which were 100 NM away), I could have missed or been confused by a mis-hear or a mis-read.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT FOUND SKYDIVERS FALLING FROM THE SKY, OVER HIS HEAD, AT HIS ARR AT TAZ.

Narrative: AT 2700 FT, I WAS APCHING TAZ, FROM THE SW. I WAS MONITORING 122.8 FROM 18 NM OUT. MY INTENT WAS TO DO TOUCH AND GO'S AT TAZ. I KNOW THE AREA WELL AND KNOW THAT PARACHUTE ACTIVITY IS PRESENT ON THE WEEKENDS. AT 10 NM, I ANNOUNCED MY POSITION AND INTENTIONS FROM THAT POINT UNTIL I WAS 2 NM OUT, SLOWED DOWN TO 75 KTS, AT 2700 FT AND I LOOKED UP TO SEE JUMPERS ABOVE THE ARPT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED E AND PROCEEDED FOR 1 MI. DURING THAT TIME A CESSNA PLT CALLED MY N-NUMBER AND ASKED HOW I WAS READING HIM, I REPLIED, LOUD AND CLEAR. AFTER THAT I TURNED N FOR ANOTHER 2 MINS, THEN TURNED W FOR ANOTHER 2 MINS, AT THAT POINT I TURNED S. AS THE ARPT CAME IN VIEW FROM MY L, I ANNOUNCED ON 122.8 THAT I WAS W OF THE ARPT, WITH THE INTENT OF DEP THE AREA TO THE SW. AT NO TIME DURING THAT 18 NM APCH TO THE ARPT DID I HEAR ANY RPT ON 122.8 'THAT JUMPERS WERE AWAY AT TAZ.' AS A COMPLICATING FACTOR THERE WAS JUMPING ACTIVITY SIMULTANEOUSLY AT VLA, JUST 25 NM TO THE SE OF TAZ... THEY ALSO USE 122.8. AND I HEARD PLENTY OF RADIO ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING THEIR JUMPING. GETTING OUT OF THE WAY WAS MY FIRST CONCERN. ABORTING MY TOUGH AND GO'S WAS A GIVEN...FOR ME THE OVERRIDING SAFETY CONCERN WAS THE LACK OF COM. AT 10 NM, MY ANNOUNCEMENT OF POSITION WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE ALERTED THE JUMP PLT AND AT THE VERY LEAST DESERVED A HEADS UP RETURN CALL...A SECONDARY FACTOR IS 122.8. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE FAA FOR YRS THAT THIS SYSTEM OF CTAF IS BOTH ANTIQUATED AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. I MENTION THIS BECAUSE IN THIS RPTED INCIDENT, IT IS CONCEIVABLE, THAT WITH THE FREQUENCY CLUTTERED WITH CHATTER AS IT WAS (FROM MANY DIFFERENT LOCS...SOME OF WHICH WERE 100 NM AWAY), I COULD HAVE MISSED OR BEEN CONFUSED BY A MIS-HEAR OR A MIS-READ.

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.