Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 2 Eng; Retractable Gear
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 4
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Event / Encounter Person / Animal / Bird; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Tulsa was in a south flow; and Radar South West was split off from Radar West. I was working Radar West. I had a mix of inbounds to TUL; outbounds from TUL; and a parachute jump aircraft operating over Skiatook airport. Aircraft X departed TUL VFR on a west heading. After I got him clear of an Aircraft Y descending for TUL; I gave Aircraft X on course to BVO. At about that time; Aircraft Z advised 1 minute prior to jump at Skiatook. I made an announcement on frequency; and gave Aircraft X a 330 heading to vector him to the west of Skiatook to avoid the parachute activity. I also told Aircraft Z about Aircraft X and advised him that he would pass to the west of Skiatook. A couple of minutes later; when Aircraft X was about 1-2 miles southwest of Skiatook; he advised he wanted to return to TUL. I turned him to a 100 heading in an attempt to keep him south of the Skiatook airport and away from any parachute jumpers. I gave a traffic advisory to Aircraft Z advising him of the aircraft's position and I told him he would be passing about a mile south of Skiatook. As Aircraft X was in the process of the turn he advised me that he was making a hard right turn to avoid a parachute. I let him make his turn and as he got away from Skiatook; I gave him a right base entry to 18R and switched him to tower. As Aircraft X exited the runway; he advised tower that it was the closest he has come to parachute jumping. This event was caused by me trying to get Aircraft X back to the airport as soon as possible. When he advised he wanted to return to TUL; I was assuming that he had an issue with the aircraft or that he needed to get back as soon as possible. In my attempt to get Aircraft X back to the airport quickly I turned him to a heading that was not southeast enough to keep him from going through the parachute activity. I think the local procedures involving parachute jumping are fine. This event was caused by me trying to get Aircraft X back to the airport as soon as possible. I had a couple other options that would have worked much better than turning him toward the parachute activity. Had I taken a moment to just think about the situation more I would have either taken Aircraft X north of Skiatook before turning him east or I would have given him a left turn to the south to get him away from the airport before turning him back toward TUL.
Tulsa Radar Controller reported of an unsafe situation when he turned an aircraft too soon and did not avoid a parachute operation. Pilot reported after landing that it was; 'the closest he has come to parachute jumping.'