Narrative:

Flight departed roanoke regional airport for washington dulles. Prior to departure both the captain and first officer directional gyros were checked and found accurate against the departure runway. Upon departure, ZDC cleared us direct montebello VOR, V-143, as filed. At approximately 10 mi prior to montebello, the HSI and RMI, which was tuned and idented to montebello, became erratic. We proceeded on the current heading of approximately 060 degrees and upon station passage, turned to 036 degrees, along with the appropriate HSI selection to navigation nebound on V-143. The VOR remained somewhat erratic and at approximately 10 DME from montebello, ZDC informed us that we were well right of course. We informed center that we appeared to be on course and they issued a heading for doccs intersection. Upon comparing directional gyros, we noticed a 15 degree discrepancy. A cabin inspection was conducted and a passenger was found using a cellular telephone. When the telephone was turned off the VOR signals stabilized and the directional gyros lined up within 2 degrees of each other. Although the passenger were briefed on not using phones, radios, and electronic devices, without a flight attendant, monitoring passenger for the use of these items is virtually impossible. Subsequent flts in the same aircraft found no other navigational discrepancies.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG DEV CAUSED BY CELLULAR PHONE USE IN FLT.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED ROANOKE REGIONAL ARPT FOR WASHINGTON DULLES. PRIOR TO DEP BOTH THE CAPT AND FO DIRECTIONAL GYROS WERE CHKED AND FOUND ACCURATE AGAINST THE DEP RWY. UPON DEP, ZDC CLRED US DIRECT MONTEBELLO VOR, V-143, AS FILED. AT APPROX 10 MI PRIOR TO MONTEBELLO, THE HSI AND RMI, WHICH WAS TUNED AND IDENTED TO MONTEBELLO, BECAME ERRATIC. WE PROCEEDED ON THE CURRENT HDG OF APPROX 060 DEGS AND UPON STATION PASSAGE, TURNED TO 036 DEGS, ALONG WITH THE APPROPRIATE HSI SELECTION TO NAV NEBOUND ON V-143. THE VOR REMAINED SOMEWHAT ERRATIC AND AT APPROX 10 DME FROM MONTEBELLO, ZDC INFORMED US THAT WE WERE WELL R OF COURSE. WE INFORMED CTR THAT WE APPEARED TO BE ON COURSE AND THEY ISSUED A HDG FOR DOCCS INTXN. UPON COMPARING DIRECTIONAL GYROS, WE NOTICED A 15 DEG DISCREPANCY. A CABIN INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED AND A PAX WAS FOUND USING A CELLULAR TELEPHONE. WHEN THE TELEPHONE WAS TURNED OFF THE VOR SIGNALS STABILIZED AND THE DIRECTIONAL GYROS LINED UP WITHIN 2 DEGS OF EACH OTHER. ALTHOUGH THE PAX WERE BRIEFED ON NOT USING PHONES, RADIOS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES, WITHOUT A FLT ATTENDANT, MONITORING PAX FOR THE USE OF THESE ITEMS IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE. SUBSEQUENT FLTS IN THE SAME ACFT FOUND NO OTHER NAVIGATIONAL DISCREPANCIES.

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.