Narrative:

During climb out from ZZZ we were notified by flight attendant the video unit in the cabin attendant was on fire and smoking. We immediately returned to ZZZ. Shortly after the notification, several lights illuminated in the cockpit including landing gear, flaps, pressurization and autoplt lights. Some minor control wheel and rudder movements were felt at that time as well. Power was cut off to the video system at the source and circuit breakers were pulled in the cockpit for the system. Autoplt and autothrottles would not work properly. We made an uneventful return to ZZZ. Normal passenger deplanement was accomplished. Safety concerns are for a video unit fire/smolder to cause this many collateral issues is not good, because this unit did not draw more power. The circuit breakers did not pop, and perhaps a thermal shutdown feature would be appropriate for aviation video systems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that after the notification several system lights illuminated including landing gear, flaps, pressurization and autoplt. The reporter said some minor control wheel and rudder movements were noted. The reporter stated the video system was powered from the right main bus and no circuit breakers related to the video unit or the passenger entertainment system were found tripped. The reporter said the only breaker found tripped was the first officer's instrument lighting breaker. The reporter stated it was believed by the crew and ground technicians the current feeding the video unit was not great enough to trip the circuit breaker. The reporter said no visible flames were noted only smoke and sparks. The reporter stated these units should have thermal cut off devices installed to preclude this type of incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 ON CLBOUT AT 14000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE AND SPARKS COMING FROM THE PAX CAB VIDEO UNIT.

Narrative: DURING CLB OUT FROM ZZZ WE WERE NOTIFIED BY FA THE VIDEO UNIT IN THE CAB WAS ON FIRE AND SMOKING. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO ZZZ. SHORTLY AFTER THE NOTIFICATION, SEVERAL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED IN THE COCKPIT INCLUDING LNDG GEAR, FLAPS, PRESSURIZATION AND AUTOPLT LIGHTS. SOME MINOR CTL WHEEL AND RUDDER MOVEMENTS WERE FELT AT THAT TIME AS WELL. POWER WAS CUT OFF TO THE VIDEO SYS AT THE SOURCE AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE PULLED IN THE COCKPIT FOR THE SYS. AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL RETURN TO ZZZ. NORMAL PAX DEPLANEMENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SAFETY CONCERNS ARE FOR A VIDEO UNIT FIRE/SMOLDER TO CAUSE THIS MANY COLLATERAL ISSUES IS NOT GOOD, BECAUSE THIS UNIT DID NOT DRAW MORE POWER. THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT POP, AND PERHAPS A THERMAL SHUTDOWN FEATURE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR AVIATION VIDEO SYSTEMS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT AFTER THE NOTIFICATION SEVERAL SYS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INCLUDING LNDG GEAR, FLAPS, PRESSURIZATION AND AUTOPLT. THE RPTR SAID SOME MINOR CTL WHEEL AND RUDDER MOVEMENTS WERE NOTED. THE RPTR STATED THE VIDEO SYS WAS POWERED FROM THE R MAIN BUS AND NO CIRCUIT BREAKERS RELATED TO THE VIDEO UNIT OR THE PAX ENTERTAINMENT SYS WERE FOUND TRIPPED. THE RPTR SAID THE ONLY BREAKER FOUND TRIPPED WAS THE FO'S INSTRUMENT LIGHTING BREAKER. THE RPTR STATED IT WAS BELIEVED BY THE CREW AND GND TECHNICIANS THE CURRENT FEEDING THE VIDEO UNIT WAS NOT GREAT ENOUGH TO TRIP THE CB. THE RPTR SAID NO VISIBLE FLAMES WERE NOTED ONLY SMOKE AND SPARKS. THE RPTR STATED THESE UNITS SHOULD HAVE THERMAL CUT OFF DEVICES INSTALLED TO PRECLUDE THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT.

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.