Cpr small transport pilot missets directional gyroscope by 180 degrees.

Attributes
ACN	282916
Time
Date	199409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pkf
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mie
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	282916
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Directional gyroscope slaved HSI set 180 degrees from true. Missed due to immediate departure because of encroaching thunderstorms resulting in disorientation and a turn into WX instead of away. Corrections: take your time before departure! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he discovered the error himself while monitoring the GPS tracking function. Flying in northern wi area there were no visible clues at night that he was traveling in the wrong direction. In retrospect, he remembers seeing the error prior to takeoff but in his rush to depart decided to take care of it later. Things just don't work that way, as you rely on the instruments from takeoff, not after a while. Reporter had not yet picked up his IFR clearance and was still VFR, thus ATC could not help, not on radar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT PLT MISSETS DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE BY 180 DEGS.

Narrative: DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE SLAVED HSI SET 180 DEGS FROM TRUE. MISSED DUE TO IMMEDIATE DEP BECAUSE OF ENCROACHING TSTMS RESULTING IN DISORIENTATION AND A TURN INTO WX INSTEAD OF AWAY. CORRECTIONS: TAKE YOUR TIME BEFORE DEP! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE DISCOVERED THE ERROR HIMSELF WHILE MONITORING THE GPS TRACKING FUNCTION. FLYING IN NORTHERN WI AREA THERE WERE NO VISIBLE CLUES AT NIGHT THAT HE WAS TRAVELING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. IN RETROSPECT, HE REMEMBERS SEEING THE ERROR PRIOR TO TKOF BUT IN HIS RUSH TO DEPART DECIDED TO TAKE CARE OF IT LATER. THINGS JUST DON'T WORK THAT WAY, AS YOU RELY ON THE INSTS FROM TKOF, NOT AFTER A WHILE. RPTR HAD NOT YET PICKED UP HIS IFR CLRNC AND WAS STILL VFR, THUS ATC COULD NOT HELP, NOT ON RADAR.

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.