A PA28 CFI RPTED THAT HIS STUDENT; ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY; HAD A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A PARACHUTE JUMPER NEAR X14.

Date: 2003-11 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

A PA28 CFI RPTED THAT HIS STUDENT; ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY; HAD A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A PARACHUTE JUMPER NEAR X14.

Narrative

MY STUDENT WAS SIGNED OFF FOR A SOLO XCOUNTRY; FPR-X14-PHK-FPR. THE STUDENT COMES FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY AND ENGLISH IS NOT HIS FIRST LANGUAGE. HE WAS ENRTE FROM X14 TO PHK AND IN THE VICINITY OF AIRGLADES ARPT. THIS ARPT HAS PARACHUTE JUMPING FROM TIME TO TIME. THE STUDENT WAS AWARE OF THIS AND MADE A RADIO CALL ANNOUNCING HIS INTENTIONS OF OVER-FLYING THE FIELD AT 2500 FT EBOUND. HOWEVER; APPARENTLY THE PLT OF THE JUMPER PLANE HEARD THE RADIO CALL AND ANNOUNCED THAT JUMPERS WERE ALREADY IN THE AIR AND THAT THE STUDENT SHOULD STAY CLR OF THE ARPT. THE STUDENT DID NOT UNDERSTAND OR EVEN EXPECT A MESSAGE AIMED AT HIM AT THIS MOMENT. HE SAID THAT HE HEARD SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING; BUT HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. HE RPTED TO ME THAT HE THOUGHT THE MESSAGE WAS FOR ANOTHER PLT; SINCE HE WAS NOT EXPECTING ANY TYPE OF CLRNC. AS HE APCHED THE ARPT; HE SAID AT A CERTAIN POINT HE SAW A PARACHUTE JUMPER OFF TO HIS R AND BELOW HIM. HE MADE A QUICK TURN TO AVOID THE PERSON. HE COULD NOT REALLY GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW CLOSE HE CAME TO THE JUMPER; OR THE PARACHUTE; BUT HE DID SAY THAT THE JUMPER WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HE SAW. THE EVENT SHOOK UP MY STUDENT AND HE DECIDED TO RETURN BACK TO FPR; INSTEAD OF LNDG AT PHK. THE STUDENT WILL BE GETTING MORE TIME WITH DUAL XCOUNTRY PRACTICE; AND HE WILL BE TAKING MORE LANGUAGE CLASSES TO GET HIM UP TO SPD WITH ENGLISH.

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