Why would AirPods on their own start tracking another person's device?

Is it possible for AirPods to think on their think that they are "lost" and start tracking its location even if the owner hasn't triggered a "Find My" search? Someone I was hanging out with recently was notified that their phone/location was being tracked by an "item." This alert popped up while we were together. After an hour of searching, we found that my AirPods were the culprit. But what's interesting is that I never triggered a search for them, so I am curious as to why it started tracking that person's device. I never received a notification or alert that the AirPods were missing or were monitoring someone. Apple's documentation is not helpful regarding this matter. Has this happened to anyone, or has an understanding of why this would happen?