<< >> NASA ASRS Report 145272, May 1990

Small aircraft pilot allows passenger to use a portable cellular phone during cruise over psb without knowing that such use is against FCC rules.

Attributes
ACN	145272
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psb
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 940 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	145272
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was pilot on business flight from romeo, mi, to washington, dc, with business partner as sole passenger. While flying over state college, PA, business partner asked if he could use cellular phone to contact our office to check on patient scheduling. With my permission, two calls were placed to our two offices. On return flight over same route, 2 additional calls were placed at about the same point to our 2 offices. 2 days later, I found out in casual conversation with another partner who is also a pilot that he thought that this was a violation of FCC rules. Further checking with AOPA verified that use of a cellular phone in the air is not permitted. I had assumed that cellular phone technology was no problem as evidenced by its use on standard commercial flts. I should have been more knowledgeable about the situation as I now am.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ALLOWS PAX TO USE A PORTABLE CELLULAR PHONE DURING CRUISE OVER PSB WITHOUT KNOWING THAT SUCH USE IS AGAINST FCC RULES.

Narrative: I WAS PLT ON BUSINESS FLT FROM ROMEO, MI, TO WASHINGTON, DC, WITH BUSINESS PARTNER AS SOLE PAX. WHILE FLYING OVER STATE COLLEGE, PA, BUSINESS PARTNER ASKED IF HE COULD USE CELLULAR PHONE TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE TO CHK ON PATIENT SCHEDULING. WITH MY PERMISSION, TWO CALLS WERE PLACED TO OUR TWO OFFICES. ON RETURN FLT OVER SAME RTE, 2 ADDITIONAL CALLS WERE PLACED AT ABOUT THE SAME POINT TO OUR 2 OFFICES. 2 DAYS LATER, I FOUND OUT IN CASUAL CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER PARTNER WHO IS ALSO A PLT THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A VIOLATION OF FCC RULES. FURTHER CHKING WITH AOPA VERIFIED THAT USE OF A CELLULAR PHONE IN THE AIR IS NOT PERMITTED. I HAD ASSUMED THAT CELLULAR PHONE TECHNOLOGY WAS NO PROB AS EVIDENCED BY ITS USE ON STANDARD COMMERCIAL FLTS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE SITUATION AS I NOW AM.

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.