Small aircraft navigation affected by portable electronic equipment in use on board aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	274202
Time
Date	199406
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : bwi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 3710 flight time type : 18
ASRS Report	274202
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing anp VFR, I picked up IFR flight plan over paleo intersection and was cleared via V44 to donil intersection V229 leeah V1 (fpr). Abeam of agard intersection, bwi approach advised that I was 7 mi south of course and provided a 060 degree heading to reintercept. Initial off course indications were noted but due to a comparison of VOR #1 and VOR #2 as well as the altitude and range from sie (59 NM) some discrepancy was normal. After being notified by bwi of course deviation, I began course correction and configured the LORAN receiver for course guidance. Using the LORAN and further comparison of VOR #1 and VOR #2, it was determined that both VOR receivers were suspect as they both indicated 8 degrees off. This prompted a query of the passenger -- 1 adult and 2 children (ages 7 and 12), after which it was found that both children were using tape walkman -- 1 rca, 1 sony. Both units were turned off and collected. The VOR receivers then returned to normal operation inbound to leeah intersection. The remainder of the flight was normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA NAV AFFECTED BY PORTABLE ELECTRONIC EQUIP IN USE ON BOARD ACFT.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ANP VFR, I PICKED UP IFR FLT PLAN OVER PALEO INTXN AND WAS CLRED VIA V44 TO DONIL INTXN V229 LEEAH V1 (FPR). ABEAM OF AGARD INTXN, BWI APCH ADVISED THAT I WAS 7 MI S OF COURSE AND PROVIDED A 060 DEG HDG TO REINTERCEPT. INITIAL OFF COURSE INDICATIONS WERE NOTED BUT DUE TO A COMPARISON OF VOR #1 AND VOR #2 AS WELL AS THE ALT AND RANGE FROM SIE (59 NM) SOME DISCREPANCY WAS NORMAL. AFTER BEING NOTIFIED BY BWI OF COURSE DEV, I BEGAN COURSE CORRECTION AND CONFIGURED THE LORAN RECEIVER FOR COURSE GUIDANCE. USING THE LORAN AND FURTHER COMPARISON OF VOR #1 AND VOR #2, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH VOR RECEIVERS WERE SUSPECT AS THEY BOTH INDICATED 8 DEGS OFF. THIS PROMPTED A QUERY OF THE PAX -- 1 ADULT AND 2 CHILDREN (AGES 7 AND 12), AFTER WHICH IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH CHILDREN WERE USING TAPE WALKMAN -- 1 RCA, 1 SONY. BOTH UNITS WERE TURNED OFF AND COLLECTED. THE VOR RECEIVERS THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL OP INBOUND TO LEEAH INTXN. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL.

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.