Narrative:

I was the pilot of a cessna 182 with 2 skydivers, the aircraft owner and his friend. I took off from the grass strip near XA00 central time. I contacted little rock approach once airborne and received a squawk and a vector to climb. After reaching 5000 ft MSL, the controller stated that I may climb whenever I like and to hold my jumpers and report when ready. I replied 'will report when ready.' I then made a circling climb above our drop zone as the jumpers readied to exit the airplane. I thought that I had made the procedural 1-MIN call and let the jumpers dive from the plane. I then called approach and stated 'divers away.' the controller replied back that he had told me to hold my jumpers and report when ready. He also stated that if I had made the call that they were ready, he would have told me to keep the jumpers due to traffic. I felt sick realizing the mistake that I had made, could have cost someone their life. The controller stated that once on the ground, I needed to contact the control facility and ask for the supervisor. Thankfully, no accident occurred. Had I realized that I had never made the call, and traffic was present, I never would have let them open the door. My own safety, as well as the safety of others, is always a great concern to me, especially when it comes to an airplane. I spoke with the owner of the airplane, and we placed a placard inside the plane that reads 'report 1-MIN before door is opened' to ensure the call will be made. Also, the thought of losing the license that I have worked so hard and spent so much money for, the dreams of what I hope to become, and most of all, a friend, serves as a reminder of what can happen when safety is compromised.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED PLT OF C182 SKYDIVE DROP ACFT FAILS TO ADVISE ATC PRIOR TO INITIATING DROP IN LIT TRACON AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT OF A CESSNA 182 WITH 2 SKYDIVERS, THE ACFT OWNER AND HIS FRIEND. I TOOK OFF FROM THE GRASS STRIP NEAR XA00 CENTRAL TIME. I CONTACTED LITTLE ROCK APCH ONCE AIRBORNE AND RECEIVED A SQUAWK AND A VECTOR TO CLB. AFTER REACHING 5000 FT MSL, THE CTLR STATED THAT I MAY CLB WHENEVER I LIKE AND TO HOLD MY JUMPERS AND RPT WHEN READY. I REPLIED 'WILL RPT WHEN READY.' I THEN MADE A CIRCLING CLB ABOVE OUR DROP ZONE AS THE JUMPERS READIED TO EXIT THE AIRPLANE. I THOUGHT THAT I HAD MADE THE PROCEDURAL 1-MIN CALL AND LET THE JUMPERS DIVE FROM THE PLANE. I THEN CALLED APCH AND STATED 'DIVERS AWAY.' THE CTLR REPLIED BACK THAT HE HAD TOLD ME TO HOLD MY JUMPERS AND RPT WHEN READY. HE ALSO STATED THAT IF I HAD MADE THE CALL THAT THEY WERE READY, HE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME TO KEEP THE JUMPERS DUE TO TFC. I FELT SICK REALIZING THE MISTAKE THAT I HAD MADE, COULD HAVE COST SOMEONE THEIR LIFE. THE CTLR STATED THAT ONCE ON THE GND, I NEEDED TO CONTACT THE CTL FACILITY AND ASK FOR THE SUPVR. THANKFULLY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HAD I REALIZED THAT I HAD NEVER MADE THE CALL, AND TFC WAS PRESENT, I NEVER WOULD HAVE LET THEM OPEN THE DOOR. MY OWN SAFETY, AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, IS ALWAYS A GREAT CONCERN TO ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO AN AIRPLANE. I SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE, AND WE PLACED A PLACARD INSIDE THE PLANE THAT READS 'RPT 1-MIN BEFORE DOOR IS OPENED' TO ENSURE THE CALL WILL BE MADE. ALSO, THE THOUGHT OF LOSING THE LICENSE THAT I HAVE WORKED SO HARD AND SPENT SO MUCH MONEY FOR, THE DREAMS OF WHAT I HOPE TO BECOME, AND MOST OF ALL, A FRIEND, SERVES AS A REMINDER OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN SAFETY IS COMPROMISED.

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.