Narrative:

Takeoff from apa on runway 17L with a heading to 080 degrees after takeoff. The problem was the compass (RMI's) and flight director HSI's were not slewed to proper heading before takeoff. This was not recognized before takeoff roll and created vectoring problems for approximately 4 mins after takeoff climbing out of the den area. The HSI's were 70 degrees out. This problem was caused because the aircraft was towed with power off while crew was resting. Upon returning to the airport after fitful sleep of 4 hours and passenger arriving early to return to north.Y. Area, both pilots failed to detect the gyro's failure to align the compass system (RMI's/HSI's) to actual magnetic heading. (We should have checked and slewed but did not.) I believe this was a fatigue related oversight but still should not have happened. After takeoff it became apparent immediately we had a heading problem. After going to departure control climbing to 8000' MSL and turning left to 080 degrees, ATC gave us a 20 degree right turn and then handed us off to another controller. Upon checking in the new controller said we were still heading in a north direction and gave us another right turn vector. I was busy trying to slew the compass system in the correct direction and monitor PF. At the same time declaring to ATC we had a heading problem and that we could sort it out if we got level (wings). He told us the heading we appeared to be on and handed us off to another frequency. This controller asked if we were having a navigation problem and I said 'a compass slewing problem and we could sort it out if given a chance.' (it was a clear VFR night.) we finally got straight on course but it was disconcerting for awhile.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR MLG UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH VECTORS AFTER TKOF FROM APA DUE COMPASS MISALIGNMENT NOT CAUGHT BY FLT CREW.

Narrative: TKOF FROM APA ON RWY 17L WITH A HDG TO 080 DEGS AFTER TKOF. THE PROB WAS THE COMPASS (RMI'S) AND FLT DIRECTOR HSI'S WERE NOT SLEWED TO PROPER HDG BEFORE TKOF. THIS WAS NOT RECOGNIZED BEFORE TKOF ROLL AND CREATED VECTORING PROBS FOR APPROX 4 MINS AFTER TKOF CLBING OUT OF THE DEN AREA. THE HSI'S WERE 70 DEGS OUT. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS TOWED WITH PWR OFF WHILE CREW WAS RESTING. UPON RETURNING TO THE ARPT AFTER FITFUL SLEEP OF 4 HRS AND PAX ARRIVING EARLY TO RETURN TO N.Y. AREA, BOTH PLTS FAILED TO DETECT THE GYRO'S FAILURE TO ALIGN THE COMPASS SYS (RMI'S/HSI'S) TO ACTUAL MAGNETIC HDG. (WE SHOULD HAVE CHKED AND SLEWED BUT DID NOT.) I BELIEVE THIS WAS A FATIGUE RELATED OVERSIGHT BUT STILL SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. AFTER TKOF IT BECAME APPARENT IMMEDIATELY WE HAD A HDG PROB. AFTER GOING TO DEP CTL CLBING TO 8000' MSL AND TURNING LEFT TO 080 DEGS, ATC GAVE US A 20 DEG RIGHT TURN AND THEN HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR. UPON CHKING IN THE NEW CTLR SAID WE WERE STILL HDG IN A N DIRECTION AND GAVE US ANOTHER RIGHT TURN VECTOR. I WAS BUSY TRYING TO SLEW THE COMPASS SYS IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION AND MONITOR PF. AT THE SAME TIME DECLARING TO ATC WE HAD A HDG PROB AND THAT WE COULD SORT IT OUT IF WE GOT LEVEL (WINGS). HE TOLD US THE HDG WE APPEARED TO BE ON AND HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER FREQ. THIS CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE HAVING A NAV PROB AND I SAID 'A COMPASS SLEWING PROB AND WE COULD SORT IT OUT IF GIVEN A CHANCE.' (IT WAS A CLR VFR NIGHT.) WE FINALLY GOT STRAIGHT ON COURSE BUT IT WAS DISCONCERTING FOR AWHILE.

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.