Temporary loss of flight instruments.

Attributes
ACN	311798
Time
Date	199507
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20500 msl bound upper : 20500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	311798
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During descent into ric several flight instruments failed, but not in a logical manner or sequence. Part of the captain's instruments did not function but most of the first officer's were failed and seemed not to be directly related to what was lost on captain's side. The incident began with alternating flashing amber 'heading' and 'horizon' lights followed shortly by the loss of autoplt and autothrottles. Until crew action was taken to re-select flight director and EFIS switches, the captain had no flight director bars or rmdi. The first officer had no primary flight display at all, but still had flight director bars in view. We landed VMC with no further incidents, but everything returned to normal after landing. I now wish I had thought to have the cabin checked for any electronic devices in use because no one can otherwise explain the type of failures we saw. We need much more public awareness of the dangers in turning on radios, cellular phones, etc. Aboard modern glass-cockpit aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY LOSS OF FLT INSTS.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO RIC SEVERAL FLT INSTS FAILED, BUT NOT IN A LOGICAL MANNER OR SEQUENCE. PART OF THE CAPT'S INSTS DID NOT FUNCTION BUT MOST OF THE FO'S WERE FAILED AND SEEMED NOT TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO WHAT WAS LOST ON CAPT'S SIDE. THE INCIDENT BEGAN WITH ALTERNATING FLASHING AMBER 'HDG' AND 'HORIZON' LIGHTS FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY THE LOSS OF AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES. UNTIL CREW ACTION WAS TAKEN TO RE-SELECT FLT DIRECTOR AND EFIS SWITCHES, THE CAPT HAD NO FLT DIRECTOR BARS OR RMDI. THE FO HAD NO PRIMARY FLT DISPLAY AT ALL, BUT STILL HAD FLT DIRECTOR BARS IN VIEW. WE LANDED VMC WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS, BUT EVERYTHING RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER LNDG. I NOW WISH I HAD THOUGHT TO HAVE THE CABIN CHKED FOR ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN USE BECAUSE NO ONE CAN OTHERWISE EXPLAIN THE TYPE OF FAILURES WE SAW. WE NEED MUCH MORE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS IN TURNING ON RADIOS, CELLULAR PHONES, ETC. ABOARD MODERN GLASS-COCKPIT ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.