C182 PLT ALLOWS SKYDIVERS TO JUMP AFTER SUNSET WITHOUT LIGHTS.

Narrative

TOWARDS THE END OF A LONG DAY FLYING SKYDIVERS I DROPPED THE NEXT TO LAST LOAD AT APPROX XA40 (CDT). I WAS THINKING SUNSET WAS AROUND XB15; WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME AROUND 10 MINS TO GET TO THE GND; A COUPLE MINS TO FUEL AND ANOTHER 20 MINS TO GET BACK TO ALT FOR THE JUMP. BEFORE THE LAST TKOF I COULDN'T SEE THE SUN BECAUSE IT WAS BEHIND SOME CLOUDS IN THE DISTANT W WHICH MAY HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM TELLING THAT SUNSET WAS ACTUALLY EARLIER THAN I WAS THINKING. (AFTER LOOKING LATER IT WAS AT XB08.) DURING THE CLB WE WERE LOSING LIGHT FASTER THAN EXPECTED SO THE JUMPERS WERE DROPPED EARLIER (LOWER) THAN PLANNED. THE JUMPERS WERE NOT LIGHTED AND IT WAS AFTER SUNSET. AS A SKYDIVER I KNEW THAT JUMPING AT THAT TIME OF DAY ISN'T A PROB BUT AS A PLT I SHOULD NOT HAVE LET THE JUMP GO WITHOUT THE SKYDIVERS WEARING LIGHTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE POOR JUDGEMENT AND PRESSURE TO GET THE JUMPERS UP. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL BE MORE AWARE OF THE TIME OF DAY AND WILL ENSURE THAT THE JUMPERS ARE WEARING LIGHTS IF THEY ARE TO LEAVE THE ACFT AFTER SUNSET OR LNDG THE ACFT WITHOUT DROPPING WOULD ALSO BE APPROPRIATE.