Narrative:

There are 2 parachute landing areas at hdh field. One is located at the east end of the runway and the other at the west end. Today, the active landing area was at the east end. Before our GPS failed, we were able to use it to estimate the winds which were predominantly to be from the west at about 25-30 KTS. Much later, the GPS began to provide erratic information (likely due to satellite data transmission problems -- a GPS from another company was also experiencing erroneous readings), and the last reading showed the winds to be about 30 KTS from the east. We did not believe that this last reading was correct so we continued to drop the skydivers west of the landing area (ie, where we thought they would be upwind of the landing area). However, it turned out that the wind information was correct and the skydivers could not fly their canopies against the headwind and make it back to the designated landing area. They were forced to land near the west end landing area which was being used to land gliders. It appeared that the canopies were landing near the glider traffic pattern. While there were no conflicts, this could have been a dangerous situation. Furthermore, we could not inform the gliders since they are not equipped with radios. To help prevent this from occurring again, the jump masters have been asked to visually check the sky for clues about the wind direction (ie, movement of the clouds). In addition, we have set up better communications with all of the skydiving companies to let everyone know if they perceive different wind conditions. (Turns out that one company figured out that the wind had changed but did not tell anyone until it was too late.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNDETECTED CHANGING WIND CONDITIONS AND GPS PROBS RESULT IN PARACHUTE JUMPERS LNDG IN THE INCORRECT LNDG AREA ON THE ARPT CAUSING A CONFLICT WITH NO RADIO GLIDERS.

Narrative: THERE ARE 2 PARACHUTE LNDG AREAS AT HDH FIELD. ONE IS LOCATED AT THE E END OF THE RWY AND THE OTHER AT THE W END. TODAY, THE ACTIVE LNDG AREA WAS AT THE E END. BEFORE OUR GPS FAILED, WE WERE ABLE TO USE IT TO ESTIMATE THE WINDS WHICH WERE PREDOMINANTLY TO BE FROM THE W AT ABOUT 25-30 KTS. MUCH LATER, THE GPS BEGAN TO PROVIDE ERRATIC INFO (LIKELY DUE TO SATELLITE DATA XMISSION PROBS -- A GPS FROM ANOTHER COMPANY WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING ERRONEOUS READINGS), AND THE LAST READING SHOWED THE WINDS TO BE ABOUT 30 KTS FROM THE E. WE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS LAST READING WAS CORRECT SO WE CONTINUED TO DROP THE SKYDIVERS W OF THE LNDG AREA (IE, WHERE WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE UPWIND OF THE LNDG AREA). HOWEVER, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE WIND INFO WAS CORRECT AND THE SKYDIVERS COULD NOT FLY THEIR CANOPIES AGAINST THE HEADWIND AND MAKE IT BACK TO THE DESIGNATED LNDG AREA. THEY WERE FORCED TO LAND NEAR THE W END LNDG AREA WHICH WAS BEING USED TO LAND GLIDERS. IT APPEARED THAT THE CANOPIES WERE LNDG NEAR THE GLIDER TFC PATTERN. WHILE THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SIT. FURTHERMORE, WE COULD NOT INFORM THE GLIDERS SINCE THEY ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH RADIOS. TO HELP PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN, THE JUMP MASTERS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO VISUALLY CHK THE SKY FOR CLUES ABOUT THE WIND DIRECTION (IE, MOVEMENT OF THE CLOUDS). IN ADDITION, WE HAVE SET UP BETTER COMS WITH ALL OF THE SKYDIVING COMPANIES TO LET EVERYONE KNOW IF THEY PERCEIVE DIFFERENT WIND CONDITIONS. (TURNS OUT THAT ONE COMPANY FIGURED OUT THAT THE WIND HAD CHANGED BUT DID NOT TELL ANYONE UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE.)

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.