B727 captain used unapproved handheld GPS navigation device.

Attributes
ACN	470320
Time
Date	200004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cap.vortac
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	470320
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Because of bad WX advice concerning larger areas of thunderstorms and rerouting from dispatch, we had to divert several hundred mi for WX. We ended up on ZKC frequency and because we were low on fuel, requested direct vector to cvg. The ZKC radar was down, couldn't give a vector. I had a portable, non-IFR GPS unit with me, so I told ATC that we wanted to heading 100 degrees directly to cvg. Center concurred. Later on, ZID asked our equipment status (non area navigation). Fortunately, our tailwinds picked up considerably around the south end of the WX system, and we landed with a comfortable fuel quantity. Compounding our concern was being dispatched with an inoperative #2 fuel gauge.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CAPT USED UNAPPROVED HANDHELD GPS NAV DEVICE.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF BAD WX ADVICE CONCERNING LARGER AREAS OF TSTMS AND REROUTING FROM DISPATCH, WE HAD TO DIVERT SEVERAL HUNDRED MI FOR WX. WE ENDED UP ON ZKC FREQ AND BECAUSE WE WERE LOW ON FUEL, REQUESTED DIRECT VECTOR TO CVG. THE ZKC RADAR WAS DOWN, COULDN'T GIVE A VECTOR. I HAD A PORTABLE, NON-IFR GPS UNIT WITH ME, SO I TOLD ATC THAT WE WANTED TO HDG 100 DEGS DIRECTLY TO CVG. CTR CONCURRED. LATER ON, ZID ASKED OUR EQUIP STATUS (NON AREA NAV). FORTUNATELY, OUR TAILWINDS PICKED UP CONSIDERABLY AROUND THE S END OF THE WX SYS, AND WE LANDED WITH A COMFORTABLE FUEL QUANTITY. COMPOUNDING OUR CONCERN WAS BEING DISPATCHED WITH AN INOP #2 FUEL GAUGE.

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.