Narrative:

While being given a vector by approach to the localizer runway 27 final approach course, approach controller pointed out 10 O'clock position traffic (DH twin otter) 1.5-2 mi (same direction). The traffic was spotted by the captain and myself, to our surprise while looking at the traffic approximately 7-10 skydivers exited the aircraft. We heard no call from the jump aircraft, nor were we alerted by approach control, when at the time was extremely busy. The captain kept a concerned visual on the jumpers and the jump aircraft as it made its rapid descent, I continued flying the aircraft and listening to how busy ATC was. Once the captain was comfortable that there was no conflict, he returned his attention back inside the aircraft. I do not remember hearing any handoff to tower, but because of the previous distraction we did not switch to tower. We landed uneventfully and during taxi off the active runway, we discovered that we were still on approach control. I contacted tower telling him we were exiting the runway and tower handed us off to ground control with no questions. Once on ground control we were cleared into our gate. In retrospect I feel when the captain was watching the jumpers and aircraft we should both quickly brief who is to handle the radio or back each other up on the radio. We should have also expected something or radio call from the jump aircraft about the planned jump. In addition, we should have questioned ATC about the jump aircraft (even though he was extremely busy) and asked for a handoff to tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW ON APCH TO SAN FAIL TO OBTAIN LNDG CLRNC. CREW BECAME DISTR WHEN A DH6 RELEASED JUMPERS NEAR THEIR FLT PATH.

Narrative: WHILE BEING GIVEN A VECTOR BY APCH TO THE LOC RWY 27 FINAL APCH COURSE, APCH CTLR POINTED OUT 10 O'CLOCK POS TFC (DH TWIN OTTER) 1.5-2 MI (SAME DIRECTION). THE TFC WAS SPOTTED BY THE CAPT AND MYSELF, TO OUR SURPRISE WHILE LOOKING AT THE TFC APPROX 7-10 SKYDIVERS EXITED THE ACFT. WE HEARD NO CALL FROM THE JUMP ACFT, NOR WERE WE ALERTED BY APCH CTL, WHEN AT THE TIME WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. THE CAPT KEPT A CONCERNED VISUAL ON THE JUMPERS AND THE JUMP ACFT AS IT MADE ITS RAPID DSCNT, I CONTINUED FLYING THE ACFT AND LISTENING TO HOW BUSY ATC WAS. ONCE THE CAPT WAS COMFORTABLE THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, HE RETURNED HIS ATTN BACK INSIDE THE ACFT. I DO NOT REMEMBER HEARING ANY HDOF TO TWR, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS DISTR WE DID NOT SWITCH TO TWR. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND DURING TAXI OFF THE ACTIVE RWY, WE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE STILL ON APCH CTL. I CONTACTED TWR TELLING HIM WE WERE EXITING THE RWY AND TWR HANDED US OFF TO GND CTL WITH NO QUESTIONS. ONCE ON GND CTL WE WERE CLRED INTO OUR GATE. IN RETROSPECT I FEEL WHEN THE CAPT WAS WATCHING THE JUMPERS AND ACFT WE SHOULD BOTH QUICKLY BRIEF WHO IS TO HANDLE THE RADIO OR BACK EACH OTHER UP ON THE RADIO. WE SHOULD HAVE ALSO EXPECTED SOMETHING OR RADIO CALL FROM THE JUMP ACFT ABOUT THE PLANNED JUMP. IN ADDITION, WE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED ATC ABOUT THE JUMP ACFT (EVEN THOUGH HE WAS EXTREMELY BUSY) AND ASKED FOR A HDOF TO TWR.

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.