Narrative:

I was on course between 2 airports that have parachute jumping -- calverton and spadaro. ATC was following me on radar and had advised that both airports had parachuting in progress. Conditions for a direct approach were clear; but there was a towering (5000-6000 ft top) cumulus cloud approximately 1 mi to our north; with a bottom around 1800 ft AGL. I was at 2800 ft in level flight. We were experiencing some light turbulence but were very concerned about the rapid growth of this massive singular cloud which covered from 1 mi to our north to well beyond the area. ATC was extremely busy and we heard reports nearby of many targets including 6 planes in front of another aircraft somewhere in the area under his control. Keeping an eye out for planes and jumpers; we spotted jumpers with parachutes open; slowly drifting down to the airport which was to our south and not in our path of flight. We watched as they descended and steered as far north as we could without coming under the influence of the cloud. Knowing we would pass well north of the jumpers at almost 110 KTS ground speed; we kept on course. Just at the time we were almost directly north of the jumpers at about 3000 ft horizontal and we were about 2000 ft below; ATC asked us if we were aware of the jumpers and I said yes; but they advised us to take immediate action from our 270 degree heading to 360 degrees; which I complied with immediately while making sure to also avoid the cloud. This deviation put us shortly thereafter into the direct path of a cessna not under ATC control but being tracked by them at 1800 ft AGL and climbing. We now had to avoid the cloud; which we did; and the plane which passed somewhere around 500+ ft directly below with no notice from ATC. Besides original instructions to avoid the airports when I first reported; there were no further instructions from ATC until they asked if I was aware of the jumpers. Upon landing; I called the number given to me by ATC to report; as they put it; a 'possible deviation;' explained the situation; and asked if any further action was needed. They said no and the call was ended. I have been flying in this airspace for 7 yrs. I am very familiar with the route and all landmarks. There was no updates on the jumpers or any need for a flight path change once the jumper plane reported jumpers away. I do not remember anther time when both airports had jumpers around at the same time; while numerous planes were in the area and ATC was totally absorbed in directing numerous planes as they should be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PILOT REPORTS TSTM ACTIVITY; ACFT TFC; AND PARACHUTE JUMPERS NEAR CCC VOR CREATED A SERIES OF CONFLICTS FOR HIS FLT.

Narrative: I WAS ON COURSE BTWN 2 ARPTS THAT HAVE PARACHUTE JUMPING -- CALVERTON AND SPADARO. ATC WAS FOLLOWING ME ON RADAR AND HAD ADVISED THAT BOTH ARPTS HAD PARACHUTING IN PROGRESS. CONDITIONS FOR A DIRECT APCH WERE CLR; BUT THERE WAS A TOWERING (5000-6000 FT TOP) CUMULUS CLOUD APPROX 1 MI TO OUR N; WITH A BOTTOM AROUND 1800 FT AGL. I WAS AT 2800 FT IN LEVEL FLT. WE WERE EXPERIENCING SOME LIGHT TURB BUT WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RAPID GROWTH OF THIS MASSIVE SINGULAR CLOUD WHICH COVERED FROM 1 MI TO OUR N TO WELL BEYOND THE AREA. ATC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND WE HEARD RPTS NEARBY OF MANY TARGETS INCLUDING 6 PLANES IN FRONT OF ANOTHER ACFT SOMEWHERE IN THE AREA UNDER HIS CTL. KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR PLANES AND JUMPERS; WE SPOTTED JUMPERS WITH PARACHUTES OPEN; SLOWLY DRIFTING DOWN TO THE ARPT WHICH WAS TO OUR S AND NOT IN OUR PATH OF FLT. WE WATCHED AS THEY DSNDED AND STEERED AS FAR N AS WE COULD WITHOUT COMING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE CLOUD. KNOWING WE WOULD PASS WELL N OF THE JUMPERS AT ALMOST 110 KTS GND SPD; WE KEPT ON COURSE. JUST AT THE TIME WE WERE ALMOST DIRECTLY N OF THE JUMPERS AT ABOUT 3000 FT HORIZ AND WE WERE ABOUT 2000 FT BELOW; ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE AWARE OF THE JUMPERS AND I SAID YES; BUT THEY ADVISED US TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM OUR 270 DEG HDG TO 360 DEGS; WHICH I COMPLIED WITH IMMEDIATELY WHILE MAKING SURE TO ALSO AVOID THE CLOUD. THIS DEV PUT US SHORTLY THEREAFTER INTO THE DIRECT PATH OF A CESSNA NOT UNDER ATC CTL BUT BEING TRACKED BY THEM AT 1800 FT AGL AND CLBING. WE NOW HAD TO AVOID THE CLOUD; WHICH WE DID; AND THE PLANE WHICH PASSED SOMEWHERE AROUND 500+ FT DIRECTLY BELOW WITH NO NOTICE FROM ATC. BESIDES ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS TO AVOID THE ARPTS WHEN I FIRST RPTED; THERE WERE NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC UNTIL THEY ASKED IF I WAS AWARE OF THE JUMPERS. UPON LNDG; I CALLED THE NUMBER GIVEN TO ME BY ATC TO RPT; AS THEY PUT IT; A 'POSSIBLE DEV;' EXPLAINED THE SITUATION; AND ASKED IF ANY FURTHER ACTION WAS NEEDED. THEY SAID NO AND THE CALL WAS ENDED. I HAVE BEEN FLYING IN THIS AIRSPACE FOR 7 YRS. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE RTE AND ALL LANDMARKS. THERE WAS NO UPDATES ON THE JUMPERS OR ANY NEED FOR A FLT PATH CHANGE ONCE THE JUMPER PLANE RPTED JUMPERS AWAY. I DO NOT REMEMBER ANTHER TIME WHEN BOTH ARPTS HAD JUMPERS AROUND AT THE SAME TIME; WHILE NUMEROUS PLANES WERE IN THE AREA AND ATC WAS TOTALLY ABSORBED IN DIRECTING NUMEROUS PLANES AS THEY SHOULD BE.

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.