Narrative:

While descending through 4000 ft MSL northbound (mh approximately 340 degrees) approximately 3-4 NM west of dunn airport (X21) my passenger observed a sky diver below and off to the right of the aircraft. At almost the same instant I saw another sky diver about 200 ft above and 1000 ft ahead slightly right of the nose. I immediately banked left and pulled hard enough to ensure separation. I had purposely offset my flight path so as to avoid dunn since I knew there is occasional parachuting activity there. I had been monitoring the local orlando approach frequency for 10-15 mins but had been unable to request flight following because the controller was too busy. I heard no announcement of parachuting activity and believe there was none since I was specifically listening for it. It is my understanding that jumps in controled airspace are normally announced by the controller. What I learned from this experience is that 3-4 NM is probably not far enough away from a drop zone; especially when upwind as in this case. In the future I will attempt to fly on the downwind side of drop zones and/or increase my separation. I also believe that a prudent jump aircraft pilot should ensure announcement of their activities on appropriate ATC frequencys which apparently didn't happen in this case.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT COMES WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FEET OF PARACHUTISTS; EVASIVE ACTION IS TAKEN TO AVOID CONFLICT.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 4000 FT MSL NBOUND (MH APPROX 340 DEGS) APPROX 3-4 NM W OF DUNN ARPT (X21) MY PAX OBSERVED A SKY DIVER BELOW AND OFF TO THE R OF THE ACFT. AT ALMOST THE SAME INSTANT I SAW ANOTHER SKY DIVER ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE AND 1000 FT AHEAD SLIGHTLY R OF THE NOSE. I IMMEDIATELY BANKED L AND PULLED HARD ENOUGH TO ENSURE SEPARATION. I HAD PURPOSELY OFFSET MY FLT PATH SO AS TO AVOID DUNN SINCE I KNEW THERE IS OCCASIONAL PARACHUTING ACTIVITY THERE. I HAD BEEN MONITORING THE LCL ORLANDO APCH FREQ FOR 10-15 MINS BUT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING BECAUSE THE CTLR WAS TOO BUSY. I HEARD NO ANNOUNCEMENT OF PARACHUTING ACTIVITY AND BELIEVE THERE WAS NONE SINCE I WAS SPECIFICALLY LISTENING FOR IT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT JUMPS IN CTLED AIRSPACE ARE NORMALLY ANNOUNCED BY THE CTLR. WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT 3-4 NM IS PROBABLY NOT FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM A DROP ZONE; ESPECIALLY WHEN UPWIND AS IN THIS CASE. IN THE FUTURE I WILL ATTEMPT TO FLY ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF DROP ZONES AND/OR INCREASE MY SEPARATION. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT A PRUDENT JUMP ACFT PLT SHOULD ENSURE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR ACTIVITIES ON APPROPRIATE ATC FREQS WHICH APPARENTLY DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THIS CASE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.