Narrative:

Destination airport (15G) was in sight. VFR conditions. Canceled IFR about 7 mi south of 15G. Switched to advisory frequency for 15G to get ready to announce 5 mi to the south, inbound, etc. Passed to the west of and was now to the north of hilty field. All of a sudden there were skydivers opening their parachutes all around the aircraft. I dove to try to stay under them, and turned westward away from them. At that point, more skydivers opened in the western direction. I continued to dive to try to avoid them. Luckily, they all must have seen me as well, and started opening their parachutes higher in the air. Yes, most pilots are aware that there is skydiving activity in the area. However, when you divert around the drop zone, you do not expect to see skydivers, especially when they are supposed to be in contact with cak (akron canton) approach. There is no doubt in my mind that the pilot of the jump aircraft was informed by cak that there was another aircraft in the area, and that waiting less than 2 mins would alleviate a dangerous situation. This also is a recurring problem with the NDB runway 3 approach into wadsworth. The drop zone is just off to the side of the approach into wadsworth (3g3) and skydivers drift into the final approach patch. Stay away from the drop zone. I am certain that I will, but due to their proximity to 2 local airports, I am sure this will only work for those who have had a close call. The jump aircraft is required to stay in contact with cak approach during jumping activities. If the jump aircraft pilot would ask approach if it sees aircraft in the area before dropping jumpers, this could possibly avoid disaster.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT FOUND HIMSELF TRYING TO AVOID SKYDIVERS AS HE PREPARED TO LAND AT AN ARPT 5 MI N OF THE DROP AREA.

Narrative: DEST ARPT (15G) WAS IN SIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS. CANCELED IFR ABOUT 7 MI S OF 15G. SWITCHED TO ADVISORY FREQ FOR 15G TO GET READY TO ANNOUNCE 5 MI TO THE S, INBOUND, ETC. PASSED TO THE W OF AND WAS NOW TO THE N OF HILTY FIELD. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WERE SKYDIVERS OPENING THEIR PARACHUTES ALL AROUND THE ACFT. I DOVE TO TRY TO STAY UNDER THEM, AND TURNED WESTWARD AWAY FROM THEM. AT THAT POINT, MORE SKYDIVERS OPENED IN THE WESTERN DIRECTION. I CONTINUED TO DIVE TO TRY TO AVOID THEM. LUCKILY, THEY ALL MUST HAVE SEEN ME AS WELL, AND STARTED OPENING THEIR PARACHUTES HIGHER IN THE AIR. YES, MOST PLTS ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS SKYDIVING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU DIVERT AROUND THE DROP ZONE, YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE SKYDIVERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH CAK (AKRON CANTON) APCH. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE PLT OF THE JUMP ACFT WAS INFORMED BY CAK THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN THE AREA, AND THAT WAITING LESS THAN 2 MINS WOULD ALLEVIATE A DANGEROUS SIT. THIS ALSO IS A RECURRING PROB WITH THE NDB RWY 3 APCH INTO WADSWORTH. THE DROP ZONE IS JUST OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE APCH INTO WADSWORTH (3G3) AND SKYDIVERS DRIFT INTO THE FINAL APCH PATCH. STAY AWAY FROM THE DROP ZONE. I AM CERTAIN THAT I WILL, BUT DUE TO THEIR PROX TO 2 LCL ARPTS, I AM SURE THIS WILL ONLY WORK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A CLOSE CALL. THE JUMP ACFT IS REQUIRED TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH CAK APCH DURING JUMPING ACTIVITIES. IF THE JUMP ACFT PLT WOULD ASK APCH IF IT SEES ACFT IN THE AREA BEFORE DROPPING JUMPERS, THIS COULD POSSIBLY AVOID DISASTER.

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.