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Loud audio noise in a B767 assumed to be transmitted to the aircraft audio system by a passenger electronic device. Sound stopped when device was found and turned off.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 484810 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200009 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zzz.artcc |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc tower : int.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 484810 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event : passenger electronic device |
| Independent Detector | other other : pax 4 |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company FAA Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
We were notified of a loud high frequency noise coming from the ceiling in business class. After checking several possibilities, we found the problem. A passenger laptop computer was somehow causing the problem. The computer was not plugged into any port and was operating on its internal battery. It was transmitting somehow and the noise was very loud. The computer is a toshiba, model PRT800U. I would suggest that if crews have a similar problem, that they ask all computers to be turned off and see if that remedies the problem. Again, the noise was extremely loud and no noise was coming from the computer itself. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said that the noise was so loud that passengers were moved from the area to the coach cabin. The noise moved with the passengers, however it appeared to be coming from overhead in the cabin. Consultation with air carrier mntnc suggested that the noise was coming from the entertainment system. Those systems were deactivated with no positive result. A search was made for electronic devices. The source of the transmission seemed to be the reported toshiba laptop computer. Mntnc suggested that there may be some sort of interface with the speakers in the aircraft and the computer. The noise stopped when it was turned off.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LOUD AUDIO NOISE IN A B767 ASSUMED TO BE XMITTED TO THE ACFT AUDIO SYS BY A PAX ELECTRONIC DEVICE. SOUND STOPPED WHEN DEVICE WAS FOUND AND TURNED OFF.
Narrative: WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A LOUD HIGH FREQ NOISE COMING FROM THE CEILING IN BUSINESS CLASS. AFTER CHECKING SEVERAL POSSIBILITIES, WE FOUND THE PROB. A PAX LAPTOP COMPUTER WAS SOMEHOW CAUSING THE PROB. THE COMPUTER WAS NOT PLUGGED INTO ANY PORT AND WAS OPERATING ON ITS INTERNAL BATTERY. IT WAS XMITTING SOMEHOW AND THE NOISE WAS VERY LOUD. THE COMPUTER IS A TOSHIBA, MODEL PRT800U. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF CREWS HAVE A SIMILAR PROB, THAT THEY ASK ALL COMPUTERS TO BE TURNED OFF AND SEE IF THAT REMEDIES THE PROB. AGAIN, THE NOISE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD AND NO NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE COMPUTER ITSELF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD THAT PASSENGERS WERE MOVED FROM THE AREA TO THE COACH CABIN. THE NOISE MOVED WITH THE PASSENGERS, HOWEVER IT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM OVERHEAD IN THE CABIN. CONSULTATION WITH ACR MNTNC SUGGESTED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT SYS. THOSE SYSTEMS WERE DEACTIVATED WITH NO POSITIVE RESULT. A SEARCH WAS MADE FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THE SOURCE OF THE XMISSION SEEMED TO BE THE RPTED TOSHIBA LAPTOP COMPUTER. MNTNC SUGGESTED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME SORT OF INTERFACE WITH THE SPEAKERS IN THE ACFT AND THE COMPUTER. THE NOISE STOPPED WHEN IT WAS TURNED OFF.
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.