Narrative:

While on IFR descent to lal, passenger was surprised by parachute out right side window. I looked out left side window and saw two more. We were completely surprised. ATC never warned us of jumpers in the area. ATC should notify IFR traffic in the area using reference from major navaids. This would allow pilot's situational awareness as a backup to ATC responsibility to keep airplanes clear of jumpers. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter called facility 2 days and 10 days after the incident wanting resolution to concerns of controller inattentiveness, but received only 'platitudes' from the supervisors. Reporter stated that he was on vector for 'a couple of mins' with tpa after frequency change from ZJX. The pilot then heard a 'couple reports' on the frequency about jumpers. Tpa did not advise the pilot of any jumpers in his vicinity. The reporter advised that he filed IFR specifically to be 'protected' from these type events. The pilot advised that he was in and out of clouds throughout his flight, but that the event took place just after exiting clouds in a 'generally clear area.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA46 PAX AND PLT BECOME ALARMED AS 2 SKYDIVERS PASS WITHIN 100 FT WHILE ON VECTOR BY TPA APCH PASSING IN THE VICINITY OF ZEPHERHILLS ARPT AT 6000 FT WITHOUT AN ADVISORY.

Narrative: WHILE ON IFR DSCNT TO LAL, PAX WAS SURPRISED BY PARACHUTE OUT R SIDE WINDOW. I LOOKED OUT L SIDE WINDOW AND SAW TWO MORE. WE WERE COMPLETELY SURPRISED. ATC NEVER WARNED US OF JUMPERS IN THE AREA. ATC SHOULD NOTIFY IFR TFC IN THE AREA USING REF FROM MAJOR NAVAIDS. THIS WOULD ALLOW PLT'S SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AS A BACKUP TO ATC RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP AIRPLANES CLR OF JUMPERS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CALLED FACILITY 2 DAYS AND 10 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT WANTING RESOLUTION TO CONCERNS OF CTLR INATTENTIVENESS, BUT RECEIVED ONLY 'PLATITUDES' FROM THE SUPVRS. RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS ON VECTOR FOR 'A COUPLE OF MINS' WITH TPA AFTER FREQ CHANGE FROM ZJX. THE PLT THEN HEARD A 'COUPLE RPTS' ON THE FREQ ABOUT JUMPERS. TPA DID NOT ADVISE THE PLT OF ANY JUMPERS IN HIS VICINITY. THE RPTR ADVISED THAT HE FILED IFR SPECIFICALLY TO BE 'PROTECTED' FROM THESE TYPE EVENTS. THE PLT ADVISED THAT HE WAS IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS THROUGHOUT HIS FLT, BUT THAT THE EVENT TOOK PLACE JUST AFTER EXITING CLOUDS IN A 'GENERALLY CLR AREA.'

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.