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Small transport charter flies the wrong heading in IMC when the directional gyroscope is not properly set prior to takeoff.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 256068 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199311 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cmx |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zmp |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 90 |
| ASRS Report | 256068 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was flying from an airport with a VOR on the field to another airport about 50 mi away with a VOR on the field. I evidently forgot to set the directional gyroscope before takeoff. I departed on runway 31, turned left on course VFR heading 138 degrees, and entered the clouds. When entering the clouds the VOR indications seemed appropriate for being right of course, but I never intercepted the desired course. Below radar coverage, when requested, I reported my position as 25 mi southeast of my departure point. I was handed off to the next controller. Unable to reach the next controller, still not on course and suspicious of my position, I determined my position to be 27 mi south of my departure airport using VOR and DME data. By this time I was on top. I had to turn off the anti-ice and cabin heat to get a reliable compass heading. I reported my position to the previous controller, was cleared and proceeded to my destination. This took place below radar coverage with other aircraft in the area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT CHARTER FLIES THE WRONG HDG IN IMC WHEN THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE IS NOT PROPERLY SET PRIOR TO TKOF.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM AN ARPT WITH A VOR ON THE FIELD TO ANOTHER ARPT ABOUT 50 MI AWAY WITH A VOR ON THE FIELD. I EVIDENTLY FORGOT TO SET THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE BEFORE TKOF. I DEPARTED ON RWY 31, TURNED L ON COURSE VFR HDG 138 DEGS, AND ENTERED THE CLOUDS. WHEN ENTERING THE CLOUDS THE VOR INDICATIONS SEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR BEING R OF COURSE, BUT I NEVER INTERCEPTED THE DESIRED COURSE. BELOW RADAR COVERAGE, WHEN REQUESTED, I RPTED MY POS AS 25 MI SE OF MY DEP POINT. I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. UNABLE TO REACH THE NEXT CTLR, STILL NOT ON COURSE AND SUSPICIOUS OF MY POS, I DETERMINED MY POS TO BE 27 MI S OF MY DEP ARPT USING VOR AND DME DATA. BY THIS TIME I WAS ON TOP. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE ANTI-ICE AND CABIN HEAT TO GET A RELIABLE COMPASS HDG. I RPTED MY POS TO THE PREVIOUS CTLR, WAS CLRED AND PROCEEDED TO MY DEST. THIS TOOK PLACE BELOW RADAR COVERAGE WITH OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA.
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.