Narrative:

Pilot called on outside telephone line via cellular phone, stated his position and also that he had radio failure. Instructed to enter left traffic for runway 34 due to strong northerly wind. Total confusion on his part -- totally unfamiliar with runway 34. Pilot could not understand instruction and line went dead. During this period, a radar handoff received on a PA34 on a VOR approach from the south which just happens to be a straight-in to runway 34. Outside phone rings again, same pilot, same situation -- confusion on his part and could not understand what to do. Again, line goes dead. Yet another call on outside line at the same time the PA34 on the VOR approach calls. Outside caller is the cessna without radios requesting instructions. Line again goes dead. PA34 inbound from FAF and cleared for low approach. Traffic observed and issued to PA34. Outside line again rings and caller stated he was calling for instructions for his friend who was now flying the aircraft. PA34 and 'unknown target' now extra close and traffic alert advisory given to PA34 and immediate turn to left given to 'unknown' believed to be caller. Total chaos overheard -- child crying, another voice questioning left turn instruction, etc. PA34 completed approach while 'unknown' disappeared swbound toward corona airport. We have noticed more and more use of cell phones by pilots in the air for ATC instructions, etc. Dangerous! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that he has had several occasions on which pilots have used cell phones to contact ral tower, telling him that they are inbound to get their radios repaired.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT ACFT PLT CALLS TWR ON CELLULAR PHONE FOR LNDG INSTRUCTIONS AFTER EXPERIENCING RADIO FAILURE IN RAL AIRSPACE.

Narrative: PLT CALLED ON OUTSIDE TELEPHONE LINE VIA CELLULAR PHONE, STATED HIS POS AND ALSO THAT HE HAD RADIO FAILURE. INSTRUCTED TO ENTER L TFC FOR RWY 34 DUE TO STRONG NORTHERLY WIND. TOTAL CONFUSION ON HIS PART -- TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH RWY 34. PLT COULD NOT UNDERSTAND INSTRUCTION AND LINE WENT DEAD. DURING THIS PERIOD, A RADAR HDOF RECEIVED ON A PA34 ON A VOR APCH FROM THE S WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE A STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 34. OUTSIDE PHONE RINGS AGAIN, SAME PLT, SAME SIT -- CONFUSION ON HIS PART AND COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO. AGAIN, LINE GOES DEAD. YET ANOTHER CALL ON OUTSIDE LINE AT THE SAME TIME THE PA34 ON THE VOR APCH CALLS. OUTSIDE CALLER IS THE CESSNA WITHOUT RADIOS REQUESTING INSTRUCTIONS. LINE AGAIN GOES DEAD. PA34 INBOUND FROM FAF AND CLRED FOR LOW APCH. TFC OBSERVED AND ISSUED TO PA34. OUTSIDE LINE AGAIN RINGS AND CALLER STATED HE WAS CALLING FOR INSTRUCTIONS FOR HIS FRIEND WHO WAS NOW FLYING THE ACFT. PA34 AND 'UNKNOWN TARGET' NOW EXTRA CLOSE AND TFC ALERT ADVISORY GIVEN TO PA34 AND IMMEDIATE TURN TO L GIVEN TO 'UNKNOWN' BELIEVED TO BE CALLER. TOTAL CHAOS OVERHEARD -- CHILD CRYING, ANOTHER VOICE QUESTIONING L TURN INSTRUCTION, ETC. PA34 COMPLETED APCH WHILE 'UNKNOWN' DISAPPEARED SWBOUND TOWARD CORONA ARPT. WE HAVE NOTICED MORE AND MORE USE OF CELL PHONES BY PLTS IN THE AIR FOR ATC INSTRUCTIONS, ETC. DANGEROUS! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT HE HAS HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS ON WHICH PLTS HAVE USED CELL PHONES TO CONTACT RAL TWR, TELLING HIM THAT THEY ARE INBOUND TO GET THEIR RADIOS REPAIRED.

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.