<< >> NASA ASRS Report 233629, February 1993

While VOR navigation showed aircraft on centerline of J87, ATC radar showed aircraft 7 mi east of course. Cellular phone in use.

Attributes
ACN	233629
Time
Date	199302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j87
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	233629
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cruising along J87 out the dfw 154 degree radial with the HSI needle centered, we were told by ZFW that we were 7 mi east of course. We dialed in the tnv 154 degree course (we were close to the 1/2 way point between dfw-tnv) and it showed ATC to be correct. We corrected back to course as instructed by ATC. A few mins later a flight attendant came up to the cockpit and informed us that someone had been using their cellular phone. We suspect this phone use caused the error on our navigation instruments. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that flight attendant told him she heard something like ringing coming from the overhead rack in the cabin. She thought this was an incoming call on the cellular phone. She also said that she had seen the passenger using his phone earlier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE VOR NAV SHOWED ACFT ON CTRLINE OF J87, ATC RADAR SHOWED ACFT 7 MI E OF COURSE. CELLULAR PHONE IN USE.

Narrative: CRUISING ALONG J87 OUT THE DFW 154 DEG RADIAL WITH THE HSI NEEDLE CTRED, WE WERE TOLD BY ZFW THAT WE WERE 7 MI E OF COURSE. WE DIALED IN THE TNV 154 DEG COURSE (WE WERE CLOSE TO THE 1/2 WAY POINT BTWN DFW-TNV) AND IT SHOWED ATC TO BE CORRECT. WE CORRECTED BACK TO COURSE AS INSTRUCTED BY ATC. A FEW MINS LATER A FLIGHT ATTENDANT CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT AND INFORMED US THAT SOMEONE HAD BEEN USING THEIR CELLULAR PHONE. WE SUSPECT THIS PHONE USE CAUSED THE ERROR ON OUR NAV INSTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT FLIGHT ATTENDANT TOLD HIM SHE HEARD SOMETHING LIKE RINGING COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD RACK IN THE CABIN. SHE THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INCOMING CALL ON THE CELLULAR PHONE. SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE HAD SEEN THE PAX USING HIS PHONE EARLIER.

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.