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An MD80 in cruise at FL310 experienced VOR course deviation plus or minus 5 degree errors caused by passenger use of a cellular phone.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 431558 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ilc.vortac |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j58.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 431558 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger electronic device non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : course deviation indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : cab 3 |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Near ilc had problems with VOR CDI going +/-5 degree deflection. Had flight attendant check for electronic devices and had 5 computers and 2 clearance delivery's that she could find. Problem got worse until near oak. Oak gave us a vector. Made PA and asked everyone to turn of all electronic devices. #1 flight attendant saw a coach passenger quickly hide a cell phone. After PA, navigation returned to normal.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 IN CRUISE AT FL310 EXPERIENCED VOR COURSE DEV PLUS OR MINUS 5 DEG ERRORS CAUSED BY PAX USE OF A CELLULAR PHONE.
Narrative: NEAR ILC HAD PROBS WITH VOR CDI GOING +/-5 DEG DEFLECTION. HAD FLT ATTENDANT CHK FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND HAD 5 COMPUTERS AND 2 CD'S THAT SHE COULD FIND. PROB GOT WORSE UNTIL NEAR OAK. OAK GAVE US A VECTOR. MADE PA AND ASKED EVERYONE TO TURN OF ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. #1 FLT ATTENDANT SAW A COACH PAX QUICKLY HIDE A CELL PHONE. AFTER PA, NAV RETURNED TO NORMAL.
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.