Citation Excel (C560XL)
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 130; Flight Crew Total 6500; Flight Crew Type 1000
Situational Awareness
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
We were entering the airport area at the airport where parachute jumping actives were going on. There were planes with jumpers getting ready to jump and Wilkes-Barre approach advised them to hold off on allowing the jumpers to jump and that we were inbound from the south an IFR flight plan. After switching to CTAF we announced our intention to cross midfield from the south to enter the published right downwind for runway 28. We encountered jumpers descending from the north thru the right hand traffic pattern and sharply turned back to the south to avoid hitting any of the jumpers. We [neither] heard nor were we made aware that any jumpers had been released and would be descending down to the airport or we would have allowed them time to reach the ground and be out of the way before entering the pattern. After landing and talking with the jumpers there were 2 planes with jumpers; [one] at 9;500 feet and another at 11;500 feet. Between switching from Wilkes-Barre approach and the local CTAF the lower plane released its jumpers and we didn't hear that announcement on the local CTAF I have flown into many airports with parachute jumpers in the area and none of the jumps interfered or descended thru the traffic pattern being used at that airport.
CE560XL Captain reported he took evasive action to avoid jumpers who were released without proper notice in the area of HZL.