Narrative:

While setting up for jump run; center advised me of an aircraft coming from the northeast; heading directly toward the airport. The airplane was a light twin on an IFR flight plan at 9000 ft. The airplane was talking to a different controller than I was talking to. I then gave center my 1 min notice that the skydivers were going to be exiting the airplane. As the first jumpers were leaving; center advised me that the other airplane was now 3 mi northeast. I didn't think the plane would be a factor as the jumpers would be well below his altitude by the time he came through. I didn't think the next jumpers would be a factor since I waited to let them go until the plane was just past us. The jump airplane I was flying was 5000 ft above the incoming airplane. The pilot of the other airplane reported coming as close as 300 ft from one of the skydivers. The pilot said that the skydiver had his parachute open. Normally; the highest altitude any of the skydivers pull their chutes is 4000-5000 ft. Most of the single jumpers; which are not the tandem jumpers; pull their chutes at around 2000 ft. If a jumper from the first group pulled his or her chute above 9000 ft; the altitude at which the conflicting aircraft was at; they could be a factor since they are now drifting down in the airplane's way. The skydivers should advise me if they are going to pull their chutes as soon as they exit. Usually the only time they pull their chutes right away; which they call a hop and pop; is when they are jumping from lower altitudes or further away from the airport. I never was able to talk to all of the skydivers to see if anyone pulled their chutes at an abnormally high altitude. In the future; I will make sure I don't let any of the skydivers leave until any airplanes in the area are heading away from the drop zone. If an airplane is inbound toward the drop zone; I will make sure it is a farther distance out; just in case one of the jumpers pull their parachute early and get in the airplane's way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE20 PLT RELEASED HIS SKYDIVERS AT 14000 FT WITH ONCOMING 9000 FT IFR TFC. THE TFC RPTED MISSING A SKYDIVER BY 300 FT.

Narrative: WHILE SETTING UP FOR JUMP RUN; CENTER ADVISED ME OF AN ACFT COMING FROM THE NE; HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARD THE ARPT. THE AIRPLANE WAS A LIGHT TWIN ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT 9000 FT. THE AIRPLANE WAS TALKING TO A DIFFERENT CTLR THAN I WAS TALKING TO. I THEN GAVE CTR MY 1 MIN NOTICE THAT THE SKYDIVERS WERE GOING TO BE EXITING THE AIRPLANE. AS THE FIRST JUMPERS WERE LEAVING; CTR ADVISED ME THAT THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS NOW 3 MI NE. I DIDN'T THINK THE PLANE WOULD BE A FACTOR AS THE JUMPERS WOULD BE WELL BELOW HIS ALT BY THE TIME HE CAME THROUGH. I DIDN'T THINK THE NEXT JUMPERS WOULD BE A FACTOR SINCE I WAITED TO LET THEM GO UNTIL THE PLANE WAS JUST PAST US. THE JUMP AIRPLANE I WAS FLYING WAS 5000 FT ABOVE THE INCOMING AIRPLANE. THE PLT OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE RPTED COMING AS CLOSE AS 300 FT FROM ONE OF THE SKYDIVERS. THE PLT SAID THAT THE SKYDIVER HAD HIS PARACHUTE OPEN. NORMALLY; THE HIGHEST ALT ANY OF THE SKYDIVERS PULL THEIR CHUTES IS 4000-5000 FT. MOST OF THE SINGLE JUMPERS; WHICH ARE NOT THE TANDEM JUMPERS; PULL THEIR CHUTES AT AROUND 2000 FT. IF A JUMPER FROM THE FIRST GROUP PULLED HIS OR HER CHUTE ABOVE 9000 FT; THE ALT AT WHICH THE CONFLICTING ACFT WAS AT; THEY COULD BE A FACTOR SINCE THEY ARE NOW DRIFTING DOWN IN THE AIRPLANE'S WAY. THE SKYDIVERS SHOULD ADVISE ME IF THEY ARE GOING TO PULL THEIR CHUTES AS SOON AS THEY EXIT. USUALLY THE ONLY TIME THEY PULL THEIR CHUTES RIGHT AWAY; WHICH THEY CALL A HOP AND POP; IS WHEN THEY ARE JUMPING FROM LOWER ALTS OR FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ARPT. I NEVER WAS ABLE TO TALK TO ALL OF THE SKYDIVERS TO SEE IF ANYONE PULLED THEIR CHUTES AT AN ABNORMALLY HIGH ALT. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL MAKE SURE I DON'T LET ANY OF THE SKYDIVERS LEAVE UNTIL ANY AIRPLANES IN THE AREA ARE HEADING AWAY FROM THE DROP ZONE. IF AN AIRPLANE IS INBOUND TOWARD THE DROP ZONE; I WILL MAKE SURE IT IS A FARTHER DISTANCE OUT; JUST IN CASE ONE OF THE JUMPERS PULL THEIR PARACHUTE EARLY AND GET IN THE AIRPLANE'S WAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.