Commercial aircrafts today are equipped with modern GPS navigation systems; therefore, a mobile phone that is being used on an aircraft is unlikely to cause any issues to onboard flight deck navigation equipment.
One such case was the Crossair flight 498 which crashed 2 minutes after takeoff from Zurich on 10th January 2000.
Various tests were conducted on the same aircraft type – a SAAB 340B to see if they could replicate electromagnetic interference through the usage of mobile phones, however, they weren’t any evidence to show that mobile phones had any effect on the aircraft systems so the incident was mainly put down to pilot error.
On further investigation, it was reported that the pilot made a phone call whilst on the approach and which could have contributed to the crash as he descended below the minimum descent altitude.
Nowadays, some airlines have authorized the use of mobile phones in the air but via the aircraft’s network system.
Airlines now give passengers the option to switch their mobile phones on and use it during ground operations.