Narrative:

En route as stated on page 1 with numerous military aircraft within vicinity. ZLA issued a TA as to an aircraft at 9 O'clock position (south of my position). I have a headset with an active noise reduction kit in each ear piece. They are known to make noise when aircraft or ground radars sweep past. The headset went through significant electrical disturbances, as did the GPS. The headsets subsequently failed and caught fire (not anr was inactive as the battery was not connected at the time) as evident by odor and smoke. The GPS screen pulsated with the disturbance in the headsets until the end of the event. 1) subsequent GPS self test sat. 2) no breakers or fuses blown. 3) electrical system in a normal line-up. 4) headset inoperative and sent in for diagnosis.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 421B IN CRUISE AT 8500 FT EXPERIENCED HIGH INTENSITY FEEDBACK IN HEADSET AND THE GPS SCREEN PULSATED WITH THE DISTURBANCE IN THE HEADSET.

Narrative: ENRTE AS STATED ON PAGE 1 WITH NUMEROUS MIL ACFT WITHIN VICINITY. ZLA ISSUED A TA AS TO AN ACFT AT 9 O'CLOCK POS (S OF MY POS). I HAVE A HEADSET WITH AN ACTIVE NOISE REDUCTION KIT IN EACH EAR PIECE. THEY ARE KNOWN TO MAKE NOISE WHEN ACFT OR GND RADARS SWEEP PAST. THE HEADSET WENT THROUGH SIGNIFICANT ELECTRICAL DISTURBANCES, AS DID THE GPS. THE HEADSETS SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED AND CAUGHT FIRE (NOT ANR WAS INACTIVE AS THE BATTERY WAS NOT CONNECTED AT THE TIME) AS EVIDENT BY ODOR AND SMOKE. THE GPS SCREEN PULSATED WITH THE DISTURBANCE IN THE HEADSETS UNTIL THE END OF THE EVENT. 1) SUBSEQUENT GPS SELF TEST SAT. 2) NO BREAKERS OR FUSES BLOWN. 3) ELECTRICAL SYS IN A NORMAL LINE-UP. 4) HEADSET INOP AND SENT IN FOR DIAGNOSIS.

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.