Pilot of C340 suffers loss of communication frequency with departure controller leaving sat, tx, when right seater temporarily disables 2 way communication. He overshoots radial off VOR due to the boss using a cellphone in the rear seat. Controller is more than angry after communication re-established. Passenger had not been briefed.

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Attributes
ACN	364464
Time
Date	199703
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sat
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna 340/340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	364464
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While being vectored 060 degrees to V212 eastbound and climbing, my right seat passenger (a non pilot) managed to bump the audio panel to an in between position on the selector switch. This caused an undetected loss of communication with ATC for a few mins. I noticed that I had not heard ATC for a period of time and was trying to communicate with no answer. After a second or third scan of the panel and circuit breakers I found the problem, switched on the radio and gave a call to ATC. They were pissed. I told them of the problem and they repeated the clearance. In trying to intercept the V212 081 degree radial eastbound, my boss in the back seat was using a cellphone. This also caused erroneous readings on my VOR/CDI so I could not tell where the hell I was. After I noticed that he was using the cellphone I told him rather sternly to turn the damn thing off and leave it off while airborne in any aircraft. In his defense, he did not know that it was not approved for use while airborne. Upon landing at our destination I set in effect 2 new rules: 1) right seat passenger must be a qualified pilot unless space does not permit to ride in the rear. In that case the passenger will not touch anything for fear of bodily injury! 2) no portable electronic devices shall be turned on while on board this aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C340 SUFFERS LOSS OF COM FREQ WITH DEP CTLR LEAVING SAT, TX, WHEN R SEATER TEMPORARILY DISABLES 2 WAY COM. HE OVERSHOOTS RADIAL OFF VOR DUE TO THE BOSS USING A CELLPHONE IN THE REAR SEAT. CTLR IS MORE THAN ANGRY AFTER COM RE-ESTABLISHED. PAX HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED 060 DEGS TO V212 EBOUND AND CLBING, MY R SEAT PAX (A NON PLT) MANAGED TO BUMP THE AUDIO PANEL TO AN IN BTWN POS ON THE SELECTOR SWITCH. THIS CAUSED AN UNDETECTED LOSS OF COM WITH ATC FOR A FEW MINS. I NOTICED THAT I HAD NOT HEARD ATC FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH NO ANSWER. AFTER A SECOND OR THIRD SCAN OF THE PANEL AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS I FOUND THE PROB, SWITCHED ON THE RADIO AND GAVE A CALL TO ATC. THEY WERE PISSED. I TOLD THEM OF THE PROB AND THEY REPEATED THE CLRNC. IN TRYING TO INTERCEPT THE V212 081 DEG RADIAL EBOUND, MY BOSS IN THE BACK SEAT WAS USING A CELLPHONE. THIS ALSO CAUSED ERRONEOUS READINGS ON MY VOR/CDI SO I COULD NOT TELL WHERE THE HELL I WAS. AFTER I NOTICED THAT HE WAS USING THE CELLPHONE I TOLD HIM RATHER STERNLY TO TURN THE DAMN THING OFF AND LEAVE IT OFF WHILE AIRBORNE IN ANY ACFT. IN HIS DEFENSE, HE DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE AIRBORNE. UPON LNDG AT OUR DEST I SET IN EFFECT 2 NEW RULES: 1) R SEAT PAX MUST BE A QUALIFIED PLT UNLESS SPACE DOES NOT PERMIT TO RIDE IN THE REAR. IN THAT CASE THE PAX WILL NOT TOUCH ANYTHING FOR FEAR OF BODILY INJURY! 2) NO PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES SHALL BE TURNED ON WHILE ON BOARD THIS ACFT.

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.