37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 550981 |
Time | |
Date | 200206 |
Day | Mon |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
State Reference | CA |
Altitude | msl single value : 1500 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tower : njk.tower |
Operator | other |
Make Model Name | Grumman Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | cruise : level |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Bonanza 33 |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | cruise : level |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | government : military |
Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 550 |
ASRS Report | 550981 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : military |
Function | flight crew : first officer |
Events | |
Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation |
Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were on a wings-level heading of 260 degrees magnetic commencing a run-in to the drop zone at 1500 ft MSL, 130 KIAS for static line parachute operations. The pilot at the controls noticed an aircraft crossing our flight path from left to right on an approximately heading on 310-330 degrees. The other aircraft was idented by the PIC as a v-tail beechcraft bonanza. Had the crossing angle been slightly different or had the PIC seen the aircraft sooner, it would have been easy to identify the aircraft n-number. A NOTAM had been issued for the drop zone stating that parachute operations were being conducted from 13000 ft MSL and below. No evasive action was required on the part of the PF who continued his approach to the drop zone. Radio communications with flight service on 122.5 were largely unsuccessful due to the low altitude of our aircraft. We were, however, in communication with naval air facility and they were aware of our position and the nature of our operations. The VFR sectional chart does not annotate the area as a drop zone. It is my conjecture that the aircraft departed some other airport to the east, headed west while remaining south of the class east and class D airspace then turned northwest to remain west of the restr area. This route of flight took the bonanza through the approach course to the drop zone.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DURING ENTRY INTO PARACHUTE DROP ZONE FLC ENCOUNTERS ACFT XING THEIR PATH.
Narrative: WE WERE ON A WINGS-LEVEL HDG OF 260 DEGS MAGNETIC COMMENCING A RUN-IN TO THE DROP ZONE AT 1500 FT MSL, 130 KIAS FOR STATIC LINE PARACHUTE OPS. THE PLT AT THE CONTROLS NOTICED AN ACFT XING OUR FLT PATH FROM L TO R ON AN APPROX HDG ON 310-330 DEGS. THE OTHER ACFT WAS IDENTED BY THE PIC AS A V-TAIL BEECHCRAFT BONANZA. HAD THE XING ANGLE BEEN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT OR HAD THE PIC SEEN THE ACFT SOONER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY TO IDENT THE ACFT N-NUMBER. A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE DROP ZONE STATING THAT PARACHUTE OPS WERE BEING CONDUCTED FROM 13000 FT MSL AND BELOW. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED ON THE PART OF THE PF WHO CONTINUED HIS APCH TO THE DROP ZONE. RADIO COMS WITH FLT SVC ON 122.5 WERE LARGELY UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO THE LOW ALT OF OUR ACFT. WE WERE, HOWEVER, IN COM WITH NAVAL AIR FACILITY AND THEY WERE AWARE OF OUR POS AND THE NATURE OF OUR OPS. THE VFR SECTIONAL CHART DOES NOT ANNOTATE THE AREA AS A DROP ZONE. IT IS MY CONJECTURE THAT THE ACFT DEPARTED SOME OTHER ARPT TO THE E, HEADED W WHILE REMAINING S OF THE CLASS E AND CLASS D AIRSPACE THEN TURNED NW TO REMAIN W OF THE RESTR AREA. THIS RTE OF FLT TOOK THE BONANZA THROUGH THE APCH COURSE TO THE DROP ZONE.
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.