THE PLT OF A DHC6 RELEASED SKYDIVERS IN VMC CONDITIONS BUT JUMPERS VIOLATE MINIMUM CLOUD CLRNC DURING DSCNT.
Synopsis
THE PLT OF A DHC6 RELEASED SKYDIVERS IN VMC CONDITIONS BUT JUMPERS VIOLATE MINIMUM CLOUD CLRNC DURING DSCNT.
Narrative
AT ONE POINT WHILE CONDUCTING JUMP OPS I TURNED ONTO JUMP RUN AT 11500 FT MSL CONTINUING THE CLB TO 13500 FT MSL. I GAVE THE PREREQUISITE RED LIGHT FOR OPENING THE JUMP DOOR; AND THE GREEN LIGHT TO LET THE JUMPERS KNOW THEY MAY LEAVE THE ACFT. WHEN I TURN ONTO JUMP RUN THE ACFT IS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE (FOR THE CLB) I CANNOT SEE DIRECTLY BELOW THE ACFT AS THERE ARE NO DOWNWARD FACING WINDOWS; AND THE FAA 'OPSPECS' FOR THE JUMP ACFT MANDATE THAT NO BANKS OVER 15 DEGS CAN BE MADE. MY VIEW LIMITED AND EVERYTHING SEEMINGLY OK; THE JUMPERS OPENED THE DOOR; OBSERVED THE WX CONDITIONS BELOW THEM; AND EXITED THE ACFT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT THAT POINT I MADE THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS AND PROCEEDED WITH THE GA EQUIVALENT OF AN EMER DSCNT. WHILE IN THE DSCNT I SPOTTED 2-3 PARACHUTES CLRLY VIOLATING CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS; IN THEIR APCH TO THE DROP ZONE LNDG AREA. I WAS THE PIC OF THE ACFT AND ALLOWED THE JUMP DOOR TO COME OPEN AND GAVE THE JUMPERS THE OPTION TO JUMP. UPON THE COMPLETION OF THAT JUMP; I CLRLY HAD PROBS WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THESE LICENSED JUMPERS EXERCISED THIS OPTION. THE SKYDIVERS OPENED THE JUMP DOOR AND: OBSERVED THE WX CONDITIONS BELOW THEM; MADE A VOLUNTARY DECISION TO JUMP; EXITED THE ACFT; DEPLOYED THEIR STEERABLE PARACHUTES AT DESIGNATED ALT OF THEIR CHOICE; AND THEY THEN STEERED THEIR PARACHUTES CLRLY TOWARD THE CLOUDS; VIOLATING FAR'S. THE RESULTING PARACHUTE FLT RESULTED IN A CLR VIOLATION OF VFR CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS. THE RESULTING DEMONSTRATION OF POOR JUDGEMENT FORCED ME TO TAKE THE CLOUD CLRNC ISSUE PARTIALLY OUT OF THEIR HANDS. WHILE ON JUMP RUN I HAD TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT OF CLOUD CONDITIONS IN THE GENERAL AREA WHILE BEING UNABLE TO DIRECTLY SEE THE DROP ZONE; THIS RESULTED INBTWN 3-6 ABORTED JUMP RUNS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.