Narrative:

Crew of 2 departed cleveland hopkins international airport on runway 23 during VMC conditions on an IFR flight plan, aircraft type BE02 (beech 1900 turboprop). The takeoff, initial climb and a turn to an assigned heading of 180 degrees by cleveland departure were uneventful. At that time I (copilot, PNF at the time) executed the climb checklist. Both crew members executed the checklist items as normal. I then attempted to accomplish the station call (call back out and off times) which is part of the climb checklist. I turned off the audio to radio #1 on my side in order to monitor radio #2 and confirmed that the captain would monitor radio #1. As I completed the station call, the captain made a turn to the right from assigned heading of 180 degrees and then made an immediate turn to the left (opposite direction). At this time I turned on radio #1 and shut down radio #2, and asked the captain what was 'going on.' he said he had been cleared direct to akron VOR, he centered the needle with the course direct button. It showed a turn to the right and he took a heading in that direction. He stated ATC told him he turned the wrong direction and that akron VOR was southwest of the airport which would be a left turn (fact). At that time I realized our directional gyroscopes were different and that the captain's directional gyroscope had a heading flag. The heading difference was in excess of 90 degrees. The captain stated that after he was cleared direct to akron VOR he simply pushed the course director button and turned toward the head of the needle. The directional gyroscope on his side was in error and he therefore turned the wrong direction. Had I been monitoring radio #1 at this time this situation may have been avoided. However, the station call is an assigned duty of the PNF during this phase of flight. Perhaps the station call should not be executed during this stage of flight?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER BE02 HAS FAILURE OF DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE, MAKES TURN IN WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: CREW OF 2 DEPARTED CLEVELAND HOPKINS INTL ARPT ON RWY 23 DURING VMC CONDITIONS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, ACFT TYPE BE02 (BEECH 1900 TURBOPROP). THE TKOF, INITIAL CLB AND A TURN TO AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 180 DEGS BY CLEVELAND DEP WERE UNEVENTFUL. AT THAT TIME I (COPLT, PNF AT THE TIME) EXECUTED THE CLB CHKLIST. BOTH CREW MEMBERS EXECUTED THE CHKLIST ITEMS AS NORMAL. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO ACCOMPLISH THE STATION CALL (CALL BACK OUT AND OFF TIMES) WHICH IS PART OF THE CLB CHKLIST. I TURNED OFF THE AUDIO TO RADIO #1 ON MY SIDE IN ORDER TO MONITOR RADIO #2 AND CONFIRMED THAT THE CAPT WOULD MONITOR RADIO #1. AS I COMPLETED THE STATION CALL, THE CAPT MADE A TURN TO THE R FROM ASSIGNED HDG OF 180 DEGS AND THEN MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE L (OPPOSITE DIRECTION). AT THIS TIME I TURNED ON RADIO #1 AND SHUT DOWN RADIO #2, AND ASKED THE CAPT WHAT WAS 'GOING ON.' HE SAID HE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO AKRON VOR, HE CENTERED THE NEEDLE WITH THE COURSE DIRECT BUTTON. IT SHOWED A TURN TO THE R AND HE TOOK A HDG IN THAT DIRECTION. HE STATED ATC TOLD HIM HE TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION AND THAT AKRON VOR WAS SW OF THE ARPT WHICH WOULD BE A L TURN (FACT). AT THAT TIME I REALIZED OUR DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPES WERE DIFFERENT AND THAT THE CAPT'S DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE HAD A HDG FLAG. THE HDG DIFFERENCE WAS IN EXCESS OF 90 DEGS. THE CAPT STATED THAT AFTER HE WAS CLRED DIRECT TO AKRON VOR HE SIMPLY PUSHED THE COURSE DIRECTOR BUTTON AND TURNED TOWARD THE HEAD OF THE NEEDLE. THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE ON HIS SIDE WAS IN ERROR AND HE THEREFORE TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION. HAD I BEEN MONITORING RADIO #1 AT THIS TIME THIS SIT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. HOWEVER, THE STATION CALL IS AN ASSIGNED DUTY OF THE PNF DURING THIS PHASE OF FLT. PERHAPS THE STATION CALL SHOULD NOT BE EXECUTED DURING THIS STAGE OF FLT?

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.