Interference to aircraft navigation equipment from passenger cellular phone.

Attributes
ACN	161347
Time
Date	199010
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	161347
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Use of portable cellular phone in main cabin caused big discrepancy in captain's and first officer's EFIS type HSI's. Cabin check and captain's P/a terminated its use and systems returned to normal. We need the word to get out to traveling public better than it has so far. Can you help? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter is check airman with major carrier. States that similar incidents occur at rate of 1 or 2 per month. Approximately 1/2 of company aircraft of this type are EFIS equipped. Has not noted any problems on the non EFIS aircraft. Has had 2 occurrences since submission of this report. Not sure if ASRS report sent on them. Thinks ASRS should build data base so that problem can be brought to attention of proper authorities. Portable computers are not on his company list of prohibited items. Walkman type cassette player radios are prohibited. Not sure about cellular phones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INTERFERENCE TO ACFT NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT FROM PASSENGER CELLULAR PHONE.

Narrative: USE OF PORTABLE CELLULAR PHONE IN MAIN CABIN CAUSED BIG DISCREPANCY IN CAPT'S AND F/O'S EFIS TYPE HSI'S. CABIN CHK AND CAPT'S P/A TERMINATED ITS USE AND SYSTEMS RETURNED TO NORMAL. WE NEED THE WORD TO GET OUT TO TRAVELING PUBLIC BETTER THAN IT HAS SO FAR. CAN YOU HELP? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR IS CHK AIRMAN WITH MAJOR CARRIER. STATES THAT SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCUR AT RATE OF 1 OR 2 PER MONTH. APPROX 1/2 OF COMPANY ACFT OF THIS TYPE ARE EFIS EQUIPPED. HAS NOT NOTED ANY PROBS ON THE NON EFIS ACFT. HAS HAD 2 OCCURRENCES SINCE SUBMISSION OF THIS RPT. NOT SURE IF ASRS RPT SENT ON THEM. THINKS ASRS SHOULD BUILD DATA BASE SO THAT PROB CAN BE BROUGHT TO ATTN OF PROPER AUTHORITIES. PORTABLE COMPUTERS ARE NOT ON HIS COMPANY LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS. WALKMAN TYPE CASSETTE PLAYER RADIOS ARE PROHIBITED. NOT SURE ABOUT CELLULAR PHONES.

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.