Narrative:

Location: fqm arrival to ewr. We were flying the fqm 118 degree radial to 35 DME. The aircraft equipment was showing right on the radial from both #1 and #2 vors. At about the time we switched to the bwz VOR to track inbound on the 302 degree radial at 59 DME, center called to give us a vector of 150 degrees to rejoin the arrival as they thought we were several mi north of course. There was indeed a 2 DOT displacement on our instruments tuned to bwz 114.2, but no error previously on fqm 114.4. I told the #1 flight attendant to check for electronic equipment. We were descending through approximately 17000 ft and electronic equipment use was not prohibited, but there was a toshiba techra 700CT in use that may have caused the anomaly. We were not so far off course as to cause an ATC problem, but I am submitting this as soon as possible primarily to add to the database concerning interference from portable electronic equipment which is far more prevalent than I think people realize. Supplemental information from acn 359543: the search turned up a passenger using a toshiba techra 700CT laptop computer. The flight attendant asked that the computer be turned off and the passenger complied. The remainder of the flight was completed without incident. Callback conversation with reporter acn #359547 revealed the following information: reporter stated that there was no opportunity for the flight crew to xchk further before the passenger computer was found and turned off. However, he did emphasize that the large correction given by ATC, together with the fact that the flight was 5 mi off course, is substantial enough to be noticed. A check was made to assure that the proper VOR was tuned in and with the proper course setting.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A SUPER MD80 FAILED TO FOLLOW THE ARR STAR TRACK RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION AND A VECTOR TO GET BACK ON COURSE. PROB FOUND TO BE A PAX USE OF A LAPTOP COMPUTER.

Narrative: LOCATION: FQM ARR TO EWR. WE WERE FLYING THE FQM 118 DEG RADIAL TO 35 DME. THE ACFT EQUIP WAS SHOWING RIGHT ON THE RADIAL FROM BOTH #1 AND #2 VORS. AT ABOUT THE TIME WE SWITCHED TO THE BWZ VOR TO TRACK INBOUND ON THE 302 DEG RADIAL AT 59 DME, CTR CALLED TO GIVE US A VECTOR OF 150 DEGS TO REJOIN THE ARR AS THEY THOUGHT WE WERE SEVERAL MI N OF COURSE. THERE WAS INDEED A 2 DOT DISPLACEMENT ON OUR INSTS TUNED TO BWZ 114.2, BUT NO ERROR PREVIOUSLY ON FQM 114.4. I TOLD THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT TO CHK FOR ELECTRONIC EQUIP. WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 17000 FT AND ELECTRONIC EQUIP USE WAS NOT PROHIBITED, BUT THERE WAS A TOSHIBA TECHRA 700CT IN USE THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ANOMALY. WE WERE NOT SO FAR OFF COURSE AS TO CAUSE AN ATC PROB, BUT I AM SUBMITTING THIS ASAP PRIMARILY TO ADD TO THE DATABASE CONCERNING INTERFERENCE FROM PORTABLE ELECTRONIC EQUIP WHICH IS FAR MORE PREVALENT THAN I THINK PEOPLE REALIZE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 359543: THE SEARCH TURNED UP A PAX USING A TOSHIBA TECHRA 700CT LAPTOP COMPUTER. THE FLT ATTENDANT ASKED THAT THE COMPUTER BE TURNED OFF AND THE PAX COMPLIED. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN #359547 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLC TO XCHK FURTHER BEFORE THE PAX COMPUTER WAS FOUND AND TURNED OFF. HOWEVER, HE DID EMPHASIZE THAT THE LARGE CORRECTION GIVEN BY ATC, TOGETHER WITH THE FACT THAT THE FLT WAS 5 MI OFF COURSE, IS SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO BE NOTICED. A CHK WAS MADE TO ASSURE THAT THE PROPER VOR WAS TUNED IN AND WITH THE PROPER COURSE SETTING.

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.