Narrative:

On IFR flight plan, we were on approach on high downwind leg and 5 mi south of airport. Frequency was extremely congested as controller trnee, under supervision, was handling 2 frequencys with 1 transmitter. We heard ATC tell an small aircraft that a parachute jump was not authorized due to airspace congestion. We did not hear a reply, as the small aircraft was on the other frequency. As an air carrier jet passed our 9 O'clock on final to runway 34L, we were cleared for a visual approach to follow that jet. As we turned base leg, the captain who was the PF, pointed out an unidented aircraft descending off our right and turning in our general direction. He initiated a rapid descent to avoid the aircraft, which had not been pointed out by ATC. We leveled out at 7000', still on base leg, when I (first officer) noted an object at our 10 O'clock which I first thought was a balloon, about 500' away and slightly below us. I then looked forward and saw 2 parachutes at our 12 O'clock and about 300' away, directly in our descent path. I yelled something about parachutes and grabbed the yoke, initiating a climbing left turn. I released the controls as soon as I saw that the captain was aware of and handling the situation. We continued our approach and landed. Contributing factors: small aircraft pilot dropped jumpers west/O ATC authority/authorized, while operating in restr airspace. I was told by the TRACON supervisor that the pilot, when questioned, admitted seeing us below him but thought that the jumpers could avoid us. He also allowed those jumpers out west/O any lighting, although legal sunset occurred 23 mins before. He also initiated a descent west/O authorization. ATC--way too much traffic for a trnee to be handling 2 frequencys. Although not legally required, since there was an assigned altitude difference of 500', he did not point out the small aircraft. We needed a pointout that at least would have made us aware of potential traffic and avoided the first surprise. Possible solutions: aside from the obvious ban on jump activities during heavy ATC activity, so that the aircraft was not even allowed within 10 mi of traffic corridors, this pilot's judgement must be suspect. FAA should also violate the operator if training in ATC procedures is found to be deficient. There is not excuse for this sort of shoddy operating practice so close to a major commercial airport. The biggest reason we did not hit those jumpers was pure luck, given the time of day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT, ON FINAL APCH COURSE, HAD VERY CLOSE CALL WITH PARACHUTE JUMPERS.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN, WE WERE ON APCH ON HIGH DOWNWIND LEG AND 5 MI S OF ARPT. FREQ WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED AS CTLR TRNEE, UNDER SUPERVISION, WAS HANDLING 2 FREQS WITH 1 XMITTER. WE HEARD ATC TELL AN SMA THAT A PARACHUTE JUMP WAS NOT AUTHORIZED DUE TO AIRSPACE CONGESTION. WE DID NOT HEAR A REPLY, AS THE SMA WAS ON THE OTHER FREQ. AS AN ACR JET PASSED OUR 9 O'CLOCK ON FINAL TO RWY 34L, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO FOLLOW THAT JET. AS WE TURNED BASE LEG, THE CAPT WHO WAS THE PF, POINTED OUT AN UNIDENTED ACFT DSNDING OFF OUR RIGHT AND TURNING IN OUR GENERAL DIRECTION. HE INITIATED A RAPID DSCNT TO AVOID THE ACFT, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN POINTED OUT BY ATC. WE LEVELED OUT AT 7000', STILL ON BASE LEG, WHEN I (F/O) NOTED AN OBJECT AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK WHICH I FIRST THOUGHT WAS A BALLOON, ABOUT 500' AWAY AND SLIGHTLY BELOW US. I THEN LOOKED FORWARD AND SAW 2 PARACHUTES AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 300' AWAY, DIRECTLY IN OUR DSCNT PATH. I YELLED SOMETHING ABOUT PARACHUTES AND GRABBED THE YOKE, INITIATING A CLBING LEFT TURN. I RELEASED THE CONTROLS AS SOON AS I SAW THAT THE CAPT WAS AWARE OF AND HANDLING THE SITUATION. WE CONTINUED OUR APCH AND LANDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SMA PLT DROPPED JUMPERS W/O ATC AUTH, WHILE OPERATING IN RESTR AIRSPACE. I WAS TOLD BY THE TRACON SUPVR THAT THE PLT, WHEN QUESTIONED, ADMITTED SEEING US BELOW HIM BUT THOUGHT THAT THE JUMPERS COULD AVOID US. HE ALSO ALLOWED THOSE JUMPERS OUT W/O ANY LIGHTING, ALTHOUGH LEGAL SUNSET OCCURRED 23 MINS BEFORE. HE ALSO INITIATED A DSCNT W/O AUTHORIZATION. ATC--WAY TOO MUCH TFC FOR A TRNEE TO BE HANDLING 2 FREQS. ALTHOUGH NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED, SINCE THERE WAS AN ASSIGNED ALT DIFFERENCE OF 500', HE DID NOT POINT OUT THE SMA. WE NEEDED A POINTOUT THAT AT LEAST WOULD HAVE MADE US AWARE OF POTENTIAL TFC AND AVOIDED THE FIRST SURPRISE. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS BAN ON JUMP ACTIVITIES DURING HVY ATC ACTIVITY, SO THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT EVEN ALLOWED WITHIN 10 MI OF TFC CORRIDORS, THIS PLT'S JUDGEMENT MUST BE SUSPECT. FAA SHOULD ALSO VIOLATE THE OPERATOR IF TRNING IN ATC PROCS IS FOUND TO BE DEFICIENT. THERE IS NOT EXCUSE FOR THIS SORT OF SHODDY OPERATING PRACTICE SO CLOSE TO A MAJOR COMMERCIAL ARPT. THE BIGGEST REASON WE DID NOT HIT THOSE JUMPERS WAS PURE LUCK, GIVEN THE TIME OF DAY.

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