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B727 flight crew experienced erratic VOR navigation course indicator possibly due to passenger use of a passenger electronic device.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 533786 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200112 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mei.airport |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl single value : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6500 |
| ASRS Report | 533786 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event : passenger electronic device |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : vor other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Passenger Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
Shortly after our departure and giving the flight attendants the signal that it was ok for passenger to use personal electronic devices (ped), the #1 VOR off flag came in view and the course deviation indicator drove to full scale deflection. The bearing pointer also began a slow drift away from the correct bearing. This only lasted few mins while we were checking reception from other navaids, and then the VOR began working properly again. Then, shortly before beginning descent to our destination, the #1 VOR again began reacting in the same abnormal manner. I made an announcement to the passenger to discontinue use of peds and the VOR returned to normal operation almost immediately. VOR operation remained normal for the rest of the flight. Our flight attendants did confirm that peds were in use at the time of the second incident but due to our proximity to landing, we did not have time to do more investigation to see which specific device was at fault.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B727 FLC EXPERIENCED ERRATIC VOR NAV COURSE INDICATOR POSSIBLY DUE TO PAX USE OF A PAX ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER OUR DEP AND GIVING THE FLT ATTENDANTS THE SIGNAL THAT IT WAS OK FOR PAX TO USE PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES (PED), THE #1 VOR OFF FLAG CAME IN VIEW AND THE COURSE DEV INDICATOR DROVE TO FULL SCALE DEFLECTION. THE BEARING POINTER ALSO BEGAN A SLOW DRIFT AWAY FROM THE CORRECT BEARING. THIS ONLY LASTED FEW MINS WHILE WE WERE CHECKING RECEPTION FROM OTHER NAVAIDS, AND THEN THE VOR BEGAN WORKING PROPERLY AGAIN. THEN, SHORTLY BEFORE BEGINNING DESCENT TO OUR DESTINATION, THE #1 VOR AGAIN BEGAN REACTING IN THE SAME ABNORMAL MANNER. I MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX TO DISCONTINUE USE OF PEDS AND THE VOR RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. VOR OPERATION REMAINED NORMAL FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. OUR FLT ATTENDANTS DID CONFIRM THAT PEDS WERE IN USE AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND INCIDENT BUT DUE TO OUR PROXIMITY TO LNDG, WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO MORE INVESTIGATION TO SEE WHICH SPECIFIC DEVICE WAS AT FAULT.
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.