DC9-30 crew had erratic VOR caused by passenger electronic device use.

Attributes
ACN	542198
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ape.vortac
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc tower : tupj.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j83.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	542198
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller radar : 11 flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	541783
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Aircraft
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Level FL330 on J-83 between ape and spa. ZID questioned our heading as he showed us approximately 7 mi east of airway. Captain's VOR showed centerline at airway and first officer VOR showed approximately 1/2 DOT east. We were given heading to re-intercept airway. There continued to be approximately 1/2 to 1 DOT difference between captain's and first officer's indications. Center advised when we were on centerline of airway. At that time captain's VOR showed us slightly west of airway and first officer showed centerline. Both captain's and first officer's vors checked out normal using dtw vot prior to departure. Could not find any other reason for erroneous indications. Called lead flight attendant to have her check if any one was using a restr item (cell phone, radio, etc) in cabin. She informed me she found 2 passenger using radio in cabin. Instructed passenger to turn radios off. No further problems noted. These devices were combination radio/clearance delivery players. When the flight attendants did their walk through initially thought clearance delivery portion was in use. When questioned found passenger to be using radio portion of device.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-30 CREW HAD ERRATIC VOR CAUSED BY PAX ELECTRONIC DEVICE USE.

Narrative: LEVEL FL330 ON J-83 BTWN APE AND SPA. ZID QUESTIONED OUR HEADING AS HE SHOWED US APPROX 7 MI E OF AIRWAY. CAPT'S VOR SHOWED CTRLINE AT AIRWAY AND FO VOR SHOWED APPROX 1/2 DOT E. WE WERE GIVEN HEADING TO RE-INTERCEPT AIRWAY. THERE CONTINUED TO BE APPROX 1/2 TO 1 DOT DIFFERENCE BTWN CAPT'S AND FO'S INDICATIONS. CTR ADVISED WHEN WE WERE ON CTRLINE OF AIRWAY. AT THAT TIME CAPT'S VOR SHOWED US SLIGHTLY W OF AIRWAY AND FO SHOWED CTRLINE. BOTH CAPT'S AND FO'S VORS CHKED OUT NORMAL USING DTW VOT PRIOR TO DEP. COULD NOT FIND ANY OTHER REASON FOR ERRONEOUS INDICATIONS. CALLED LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TO HAVE HER CHK IF ANY ONE WAS USING A RESTR ITEM (CELL PHONE, RADIO, ETC) IN CABIN. SHE INFORMED ME SHE FOUND 2 PAX USING RADIO IN CABIN. INSTRUCTED PAX TO TURN RADIOS OFF. NO FURTHER PROBS NOTED. THESE DEVICES WERE COMBINATION RADIO/CD PLAYERS. WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID THEIR WALK THROUGH INITIALLY THOUGHT CD PORTION WAS IN USE. WHEN QUESTIONED FOUND PAX TO BE USING RADIO PORTION OF DEVICE.

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.