MD80 flight crew observes guide man using cell phone while directing aircraft to gate.

Attributes
ACN	697381
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	697381
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

While being directed to park at ewr gate the guide man directing the aircraft was talking on his cell phone. While I was concentrating on taxiing and parking I thought something looked unusual about the guide's headset. He seemed to be talking the whole while he was directing the aircraft even though there was no other person within hearing distance. After the aircraft stopped and I could get a good look at the guide man; I could see that he had his open cell phone tucked under his headset with the mouthpiece extending down his cheek to his mouth. After parking the airplane; I asked him about it. He admitted he had the phone under his hearing protector (he couldn't deny it; it was still there) but denied talking to anyone. As his lips were moving the whole time he was guiding the aircraft; I find that doubtful. This is dangerous on a few different levels. First; he needs to be concentrating on guiding the aircraft; not chatting. His hearing protection won't work for him if he has a cell phone wedged under the ear piece. He won't hear directions or the tug coming that's going to run him over if he's in the middle of a conversation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW OBSERVES GUIDE MAN USING CELL PHONE WHILE DIRECTING ACFT TO GATE.

Narrative: WHILE BEING DIRECTED TO PARK AT EWR GATE THE GUIDE MAN DIRECTING THE ACFT WAS TALKING ON HIS CELL PHONE. WHILE I WAS CONCENTRATING ON TAXIING AND PARKING I THOUGHT SOMETHING LOOKED UNUSUAL ABOUT THE GUIDE'S HEADSET. HE SEEMED TO BE TALKING THE WHOLE WHILE HE WAS DIRECTING THE ACFT EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO OTHER PERSON WITHIN HEARING DISTANCE. AFTER THE ACFT STOPPED AND I COULD GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE GUIDE MAN; I COULD SEE THAT HE HAD HIS OPEN CELL PHONE TUCKED UNDER HIS HEADSET WITH THE MOUTHPIECE EXTENDING DOWN HIS CHEEK TO HIS MOUTH. AFTER PARKING THE AIRPLANE; I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT. HE ADMITTED HE HAD THE PHONE UNDER HIS HEARING PROTECTOR (HE COULDN'T DENY IT; IT WAS STILL THERE) BUT DENIED TALKING TO ANYONE. AS HIS LIPS WERE MOVING THE WHOLE TIME HE WAS GUIDING THE ACFT; I FIND THAT DOUBTFUL. THIS IS DANGEROUS ON A FEW DIFFERENT LEVELS. FIRST; HE NEEDS TO BE CONCENTRATING ON GUIDING THE ACFT; NOT CHATTING. HIS HEARING PROTECTION WON'T WORK FOR HIM IF HE HAS A CELL PHONE WEDGED UNDER THE EAR PIECE. HE WON'T HEAR DIRECTIONS OR THE TUG COMING THAT'S GOING TO RUN HIM OVER IF HE'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.