Narrative:

Location 116.1 pzd VORTAC, GA. I have heard S80 pilots describe navigation interference from passenger using the new dvd movie players. On this flight we had a 30 degree difference between the #1 and #2 for needles when tuned to 116.1. DME and CDI displays for captain and first officer were both in agreement with gfms information and the #1 for needle. When we asked the passenger in seat xx to turn off his dvd player, the #2 VOR needles on both RMI's returned to correct indications. When the passenger turned the dvd back on, the #2 needle diverged 30 degrees right again. With VOR 114.1 selected, the #2 needle would waver but not diverge while the dvd was on. With VOR 116.5, no effect was noticed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the pilot is an instructor at his air carrier flight academy. He has heard stories from MD80 crews of interference caused by dvd players on that aircraft. Because of this he thought to check the cabin for passenger operated electronic devices. On this particular case, only the RMI needle on the #2 VOR was affected. Both the captain's and first officer's #2 RMI needles showed erroneous readings. The HSI display was normal. Turning the dvd player off returned the RMI needles to normal, and turning the dvd back on caused the RMI needles to become erroneous again. They did not try moving the passenger to another seat. No maintenance discrepancy was written up on the aircraft. It is not known whether this particular aircraft had faulty wire shielding or not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW HAD A LARGE DISCREPANCY IN THEIR VOR NAV SYS.

Narrative: LOCATION 116.1 PZD VORTAC, GA. I HAVE HEARD S80 PLTS DESCRIBE NAV INTERFERENCE FROM PAX USING THE NEW DVD MOVIE PLAYERS. ON THIS FLT WE HAD A 30 DEG DIFFERENCE BTWN THE #1 AND #2 FOR NEEDLES WHEN TUNED TO 116.1. DME AND CDI DISPLAYS FOR CAPT AND FO WERE BOTH IN AGREEMENT WITH GFMS INFO AND THE #1 FOR NEEDLE. WHEN WE ASKED THE PAX IN SEAT XX TO TURN OFF HIS DVD PLAYER, THE #2 VOR NEEDLES ON BOTH RMI'S RETURNED TO CORRECT INDICATIONS. WHEN THE PAX TURNED THE DVD BACK ON, THE #2 NEEDLE DIVERGED 30 DEGS R AGAIN. WITH VOR 114.1 SELECTED, THE #2 NEEDLE WOULD WAVER BUT NOT DIVERGE WHILE THE DVD WAS ON. WITH VOR 116.5, NO EFFECT WAS NOTICED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PLT IS AN INSTRUCTOR AT HIS ACR FLT ACADEMY. HE HAS HEARD STORIES FROM MD80 CREWS OF INTERFERENCE CAUSED BY DVD PLAYERS ON THAT ACFT. BECAUSE OF THIS HE THOUGHT TO CHK THE CABIN FOR PAX OPERATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE, ONLY THE RMI NEEDLE ON THE #2 VOR WAS AFFECTED. BOTH THE CAPT'S AND FO'S #2 RMI NEEDLES SHOWED ERRONEOUS READINGS. THE HSI DISPLAY WAS NORMAL. TURNING THE DVD PLAYER OFF RETURNED THE RMI NEEDLES TO NORMAL, AND TURNING THE DVD BACK ON CAUSED THE RMI NEEDLES TO BECOME ERRONEOUS AGAIN. THEY DID NOT TRY MOVING THE PAX TO ANOTHER SEAT. NO MAINT DISCREPANCY WAS WRITTEN UP ON THE ACFT. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER THIS PARTICULAR ACFT HAD FAULTY WIRE SHIELDING OR NOT.

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.