Air carrier reporter states that lap top computer caused aircraft to be off course.

Attributes
ACN	172261
Time
Date	199103
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crl
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	172261
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was proceeding from ord-bdl. Approximately 30 mi west of crl (carleton) or aircraft accepted clearance of present position RNAV (omega) direct jamestown. Approximately 12 mins later center advised that our heading for jamestown must be in error and gave us a vector. Crew utilized only VOR navigation for rest of flight but noticed erratic signals on all vors. Finally, captain thought to ask if any electronic devices were in use. It was determined that a passenger in seat 9-D (medium large transport aircraft) was utilizing a laptop computer. When he was asked to turn it off, the flight management annunciator panel lights immediately brightened dramatically and all navigation aids returned to normal with no further erratic indications noted. It should be noted that our flight manual specifically permits the use of laptop computers. I believe this policy should be changed to prohibit this type of computer's use. I have debriefed this incident with my company also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REPORTER STATES THAT LAP TOP COMPUTER CAUSED ACFT TO BE OFF COURSE.

Narrative: FLT WAS PROCEEDING FROM ORD-BDL. APPROX 30 MI W OF CRL (CARLETON) OR ACFT ACCEPTED CLRNC OF PRESENT POS RNAV (OMEGA) DIRECT JAMESTOWN. APPROX 12 MINS LATER CTR ADVISED THAT OUR HDG FOR JAMESTOWN MUST BE IN ERROR AND GAVE US A VECTOR. CREW UTILIZED ONLY VOR NAV FOR REST OF FLT BUT NOTICED ERRATIC SIGNALS ON ALL VORS. FINALLY, CAPT THOUGHT TO ASK IF ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES WERE IN USE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A PAX IN SEAT 9-D (MLG ACFT) WAS UTILIZING A LAPTOP COMPUTER. WHEN HE WAS ASKED TO TURN IT OFF, THE FLT MGMNT ANNUNCIATOR PANEL LIGHTS IMMEDIATELY BRIGHTENED DRAMATICALLY AND ALL NAV AIDS RETURNED TO NORMAL WITH NO FURTHER ERRATIC INDICATIONS NOTED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OUR FLT MANUAL SPECIFICALLY PERMITS THE USE OF LAPTOP COMPUTERS. I BELIEVE THIS POLICY SHOULD BE CHANGED TO PROHIBIT THIS TYPE OF COMPUTER'S USE. I HAVE DEBRIEFED THIS INCIDENT WITH MY COMPANY ALSO.

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.