Narrative:

I contacted redmond radio (FSS). Advised FSS that I would be practicing in the local area. FSS gave me standard advisory and supplemented it with information that there was parachute jumping activity 15 NM southeast of redmond VOR on the 155 degree right. I later confirmed this location to be over (private) D. M. Stevenson airport, which is located south of bend, or. In view of this information, I elected to fly in the redmond area and practice VOR and ILS approachs to roberts field. I slowed my aircraft to a holding speed of 104 KTS turning outbnd on a heading of 290 degrees beginning a standard teardrop procedure turn. I was wearing foggles to simulate instrument vision. The actual WX conditions were VMC (cavu). I had an observer in the right seat. I completed my procedure turn returning to the VOR on a heading of 85 degrees (slight correction for crosswind). Upon passing the station I made a standard rate turn to the left turning outbnd to a heading of 255 degrees. As I rolled out of the turn my observer called my attention to 2 parachutes which were approximately 150-200 yds dead ahead, slightly higher, descending into my flight level. I immediately made a steep turn to the right to avoid the possibility of a collision. To the best of my knowledge this incident took place within the control zone of robert field just slightly southwest of the (private) cline falls airport which I believe was the target for the parachutists. I then contacted redmond radio (FSS) and asked for the verification of the parachute jumping advisory and received the same information previously given to me and an additional advisory of parachute jumping activity in the area of the cline falls airport which had been received from ZSE after my takeoff. I believe that had our observation of the parachutists been delayed a few (?) seconds or had I delayed taking evasive action, there was a high probability that we could have collided with one or both of the parachutists. Contributing factors: apparently the parachutists either couldn't or didn't clear the area below them prior to jumping. Apparently the parachutists had been cleared to jump in this area by ZSE. The area of redmond VOR is a converging point of victor arwys and is in controled airspace. Recommendations: prohibit all parachute jumping activities in controled airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA-SMA PARACHUTE JUMPERS.

Narrative: I CONTACTED REDMOND RADIO (FSS). ADVISED FSS THAT I WOULD BE PRACTICING IN THE LCL AREA. FSS GAVE ME STANDARD ADVISORY AND SUPPLEMENTED IT WITH INFO THAT THERE WAS PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY 15 NM SE OF REDMOND VOR ON THE 155 DEG R. I LATER CONFIRMED THIS LOCATION TO BE OVER (PVT) D. M. STEVENSON ARPT, WHICH IS LOCATED S OF BEND, OR. IN VIEW OF THIS INFO, I ELECTED TO FLY IN THE REDMOND AREA AND PRACTICE VOR AND ILS APCHS TO ROBERTS FIELD. I SLOWED MY ACFT TO A HOLDING SPD OF 104 KTS TURNING OUTBND ON A HDG OF 290 DEGS BEGINNING A STANDARD TEARDROP PROC TURN. I WAS WEARING FOGGLES TO SIMULATE INSTRUMENT VISION. THE ACTUAL WX CONDITIONS WERE VMC (CAVU). I HAD AN OBSERVER IN THE RIGHT SEAT. I COMPLETED MY PROC TURN RETURNING TO THE VOR ON A HDG OF 85 DEGS (SLIGHT CORRECTION FOR XWIND). UPON PASSING THE STATION I MADE A STANDARD RATE TURN TO THE LEFT TURNING OUTBND TO A HDG OF 255 DEGS. AS I ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN MY OBSERVER CALLED MY ATTN TO 2 PARACHUTES WHICH WERE APPROX 150-200 YDS DEAD AHEAD, SLIGHTLY HIGHER, DSNDING INTO MY FLT LEVEL. I IMMEDIATELY MADE A STEEP TURN TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF A COLLISION. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WITHIN THE CTL ZONE OF ROBERT FIELD JUST SLIGHTLY SW OF THE (PVT) CLINE FALLS ARPT WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THE TARGET FOR THE PARACHUTISTS. I THEN CONTACTED REDMOND RADIO (FSS) AND ASKED FOR THE VERIFICATION OF THE PARACHUTE JUMPING ADVISORY AND RECEIVED THE SAME INFO PREVIOUSLY GIVEN TO ME AND AN ADDITIONAL ADVISORY OF PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF THE CLINE FALLS ARPT WHICH HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM ZSE AFTER MY TKOF. I BELIEVE THAT HAD OUR OBSERVATION OF THE PARACHUTISTS BEEN DELAYED A FEW (?) SECS OR HAD I DELAYED TAKING EVASIVE ACTION, THERE WAS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT WE COULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH ONE OR BOTH OF THE PARACHUTISTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: APPARENTLY THE PARACHUTISTS EITHER COULDN'T OR DIDN'T CLEAR THE AREA BELOW THEM PRIOR TO JUMPING. APPARENTLY THE PARACHUTISTS HAD BEEN CLRED TO JUMP IN THIS AREA BY ZSE. THE AREA OF REDMOND VOR IS A CONVERGING POINT OF VICTOR ARWYS AND IS IN CTLED AIRSPACE. RECOMMENDATIONS: PROHIBIT ALL PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITIES IN CTLED AIRSPACE.

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.