Head set cables snagged and opened an autopilot circuit breaker aboard a C441.

Attributes
ACN	842083
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZMP.ARTCC
State Reference	IA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna 425/441 Conquest I/Conquest II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Circuit Breaker / Fuse / Thermocouple
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20 Flight Crew Total 3002 Flight Crew Type 1450
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

In cruise @ FL280 a head set cable at the first officer's station pulled out a circuit breaker causing a loss of heading but not altitude. No known conflicts in cavu conditions. Removed person from seat; pushed seat back to take tension off the cable and reset the breaker; approximately four minutes from start to finish. Aircraft was turning back to correct heading when ATC called to investigate. The head of the circuit breaker is a greater diameter than the shaft and the distance between the circuit breakers creates an ideal trap for head set cables. Will make a cable sleeve of sufficient diameter to prevent the cable fitting between the circuit breakers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Head set cables snagged and opened an autopilot circuit breaker aboard a C441.

Narrative: In cruise @ FL280 a head set cable at the First Officer's station pulled out a circuit breaker causing a loss of heading but not altitude. No known conflicts in CAVU conditions. Removed person from seat; pushed seat back to take tension off the cable and reset the breaker; approximately four minutes from start to finish. Aircraft was turning back to correct heading when ATC called to investigate. The head of the circuit breaker is a greater diameter than the shaft and the distance between the circuit breakers creates an ideal trap for head set cables. Will make a cable sleeve of sufficient diameter to prevent the cable fitting between the circuit breakers.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.