A C172 PLT FOUND HIMSELF TRYING TO AVOID SKYDIVERS AS HE PREPARED TO LAND AT AN ARPT 5 MI N OF THE DROP AREA.

Date: 2002-10 · Aircraft: Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

A C172 PLT FOUND HIMSELF TRYING TO AVOID SKYDIVERS AS HE PREPARED TO LAND AT AN ARPT 5 MI N OF THE DROP AREA.

Narrative

DEST ARPT (15G) WAS IN SIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS. CANCELED IFR ABOUT 7 MI S OF 15G. SWITCHED TO ADVISORY FREQ FOR 15G TO GET READY TO ANNOUNCE 5 MI TO THE S; INBOUND; ETC. PASSED TO THE W OF AND WAS NOW TO THE N OF HILTY FIELD. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WERE SKYDIVERS OPENING THEIR PARACHUTES ALL AROUND THE ACFT. I DOVE TO TRY TO STAY UNDER THEM; AND TURNED WESTWARD AWAY FROM THEM. AT THAT POINT; MORE SKYDIVERS OPENED IN THE WESTERN DIRECTION. I CONTINUED TO DIVE TO TRY TO AVOID THEM. LUCKILY; THEY ALL MUST HAVE SEEN ME AS WELL; AND STARTED OPENING THEIR PARACHUTES HIGHER IN THE AIR. YES; MOST PLTS ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS SKYDIVING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. HOWEVER; WHEN YOU DIVERT AROUND THE DROP ZONE; YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE SKYDIVERS; ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH CAK (AKRON CANTON) APCH. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE PLT OF THE JUMP ACFT WAS INFORMED BY CAK THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN THE AREA; AND THAT WAITING LESS THAN 2 MINS WOULD ALLEVIATE A DANGEROUS SIT. THIS ALSO IS A RECURRING PROB WITH THE NDB RWY 3 APCH INTO WADSWORTH. THE DROP ZONE IS JUST OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE APCH INTO WADSWORTH (3G3) AND SKYDIVERS DRIFT INTO THE FINAL APCH PATCH. STAY AWAY FROM THE DROP ZONE. I AM CERTAIN THAT I WILL; BUT DUE TO THEIR PROX TO 2 LCL ARPTS; I AM SURE THIS WILL ONLY WORK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A CLOSE CALL. THE JUMP ACFT IS REQUIRED TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH CAK APCH DURING JUMPING ACTIVITIES. IF THE JUMP ACFT PLT WOULD ASK APCH IF IT SEES ACFT IN THE AREA BEFORE DROPPING JUMPERS; THIS COULD POSSIBLY AVOID DISASTER.

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