PVT PLT OF A SMA SEL TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A SMA SEL APCHING HEAD-ON DROPPING A PARACHUTIST AT 3000 FT NEAR AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Date: 1994-06 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|other-unspecified

Synopsis

PVT PLT OF A SMA SEL TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A SMA SEL APCHING HEAD-ON DROPPING A PARACHUTIST AT 3000 FT NEAR AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative

ON APCH TO MEYERS ARPT FOR OVERFLT; I MONITORED CTAF/UNICOM ON 122.9 WELL PRIOR TO REACHING THE ARPT. AFTER HEARING NO TFC OR SKYDIVER ACTIVITY RPTS FOR MEYERS; I THEN ANNOUNCED MY INTENT TO OVERFLY TO THE N AT 3000 MSL. I PROCEEDED ON COURSE AFTER THIS WHILE CONTINUING TO MONITOR 122.9 AND VISUALLY SCANNING FOR ANY TFC. AROUND 2 NM SE OF THE FIELD; I NOTED A 172/182 CLASS ACFT IN A TURN. THE ACFT WAS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL IT MADE THE TURN SINCE IT WAS A NEAR HEAD-ON AND SLIGHTLY E OF MY COURSE. AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN; I NOTED THAT A SKYDIVER WAS EXITING THE ACFT. AT THIS POINT I MADE A FAST EVASIVE TURN TO THE W AND APPLIED FULL PWR TO EXIT THE AREA AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE. I ESTIMATE THAT WE WERE 1500- 2000 FT APART. THE OTHER ACFT MADE NO EVASIVE MOVE PRIOR TO MY TURN; SO I ASSUME THAT HE DID NOT SEE ME AT ALL. THE FACT THAT I HEARD NO WARNINGS OF SKYDIVING ACTIVITY OR OTHER TFC CALLS UNTIL AFTER THIS INCIDENT AMAZES ME. CLRLY THE OTHER ACFT HAD A RADIO SINCE I HEARD HIM CALL DOWNWIND; BASE AND FINAL AFTER OUR NEAR MISS. FROM THIS INCIDENT; I HAVE GATHERED THAT ONE SIMPLY CAN'T RELY ON RADIO COMS AT KNOWN SKYDIVING ARPTS. MY ASSUMPTION WAS THAT SINCE I HAVE HEARD ACTIVITY CALLS AT OTHER FIELDS; THAT THIS FIELD WOULD EXTEND THE SAME COURTESY. IN THE FUTURE I WILL STEER CLR BY A 5 MI RADIUS AND LEAVE IT AT THAT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.