C172 pilot had tower TA disrupted by hyperactive child passenger in dpa class D.

Attributes
ACN	477300
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dpa.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dpa.tower tower : smx.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dpa.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	477300
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : child pax
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : insufficient time other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Giving ride to 14 yr-old boy and his father. Child is hyperactive and has other neurological problems. His father and I briefed him on seriousness of aviation and the need to be silent and not ask questions, nor otherwise distract pilot especially while taking off or landing. At moment of takeoff (rotation) child yelled 'yippee!', very loud. I almost aborted takeoff. Instead continued to climb and unplugged child's headset after reaching 1000 ft AGL. Due to distraction and audio panel problems, did not hear traffic callout by tower, I realized about 1 min later that I was still hearing ground control, which was interfering with hearing tower. Reset audio panel, turned off #1 communication with ground, tower called me again, told me traffic was no longer a factor, but I had not responded to several calls. My recommendations: 1) giving rides to kids, if unsure, unplug kid's headset microphone from intercom, 2) brief all passenger on 'sterile cockpit' -- if you can see airport be quiet, 3) be especially careful of radio settings, especially audio panel, and 4) be especially careful when giving rides/taking trips with very young or 'problem' children.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD TWR TA DISRUPTED BY HYPERACTIVE CHILD PAX IN DPA CLASS D.

Narrative: GIVING RIDE TO 14 YR-OLD BOY AND HIS FATHER. CHILD IS HYPERACTIVE AND HAS OTHER NEUROLOGICAL PROBS. HIS FATHER AND I BRIEFED HIM ON SERIOUSNESS OF AVIATION AND THE NEED TO BE SILENT AND NOT ASK QUESTIONS, NOR OTHERWISE DISTRACT PLT ESPECIALLY WHILE TAKING OFF OR LNDG. AT MOMENT OF TKOF (ROTATION) CHILD YELLED 'YIPPEE!', VERY LOUD. I ALMOST ABORTED TKOF. INSTEAD CONTINUED TO CLB AND UNPLUGGED CHILD'S HEADSET AFTER REACHING 1000 FT AGL. DUE TO DISTR AND AUDIO PANEL PROBS, DID NOT HEAR TFC CALLOUT BY TWR, I REALIZED ABOUT 1 MIN LATER THAT I WAS STILL HEARING GND CTL, WHICH WAS INTERFERING WITH HEARING TWR. RESET AUDIO PANEL, TURNED OFF #1 COM WITH GND, TWR CALLED ME AGAIN, TOLD ME TFC WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR, BUT I HAD NOT RESPONDED TO SEVERAL CALLS. MY RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) GIVING RIDES TO KIDS, IF UNSURE, UNPLUG KID'S HEADSET MIKE FROM INTERCOM, 2) BRIEF ALL PAX ON 'STERILE COCKPIT' -- IF YOU CAN SEE ARPT BE QUIET, 3) BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL OF RADIO SETTINGS, ESPECIALLY AUDIO PANEL, AND 4) BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL WHEN GIVING RIDES/TAKING TRIPS WITH VERY YOUNG OR 'PROB' CHILDREN.

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.