Private pilot of an small aircraft sel penetrated class B airspace due to a magnetic compass error believed to be caused by the navigation lights turned on.

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Attributes
ACN	365890
Time
Date	199704
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lal
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	365890
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed runway 9R at lal. Instructed to proceed 3 mi on runway heading then proceed on course. On course heading was 347 degrees. At 3 mi turned to heading 347 degrees using wet compass. Expected heavy traffic in area due to special event. Did not look down into cockpit to observe GPS map. Compass has always been accurate. Altitude 3000 ft. Compass is on top panel facilitating traffic scan and monitoring heading. Watching for traffic and observing wet compass, appeared to be on course. Noticed downtown tampa dead ahead, approximately 15 mi. Immediately descended to 2500 ft. Checked GPS which showed course to be 272 degrees true. Compass still showed heading 347 degrees. Immediately turned north. I was at 2500 ft -- 500 ft below floor of class B airspace. Proceeded north over X39 and bky. Distances and ground track were recorded on the GPS map and recalled for this report. Navigation lights were on as I departed at dawn. Turned navigation lights off. Compass swung left from erroneous heading to actual heading. I have never flown this aircraft with the navigation lights on. Suggest all pilots verify various electrical loads do not effect the wet compass.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL PENETRATED CLASS B AIRSPACE DUE TO A MAGNETIC COMPASS ERROR BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY THE NAV LIGHTS TURNED ON.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 9R AT LAL. INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED 3 MI ON RWY HDG THEN PROCEED ON COURSE. ON COURSE HDG WAS 347 DEGS. AT 3 MI TURNED TO HDG 347 DEGS USING WET COMPASS. EXPECTED HVY TFC IN AREA DUE TO SPECIAL EVENT. DID NOT LOOK DOWN INTO COCKPIT TO OBSERVE GPS MAP. COMPASS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACCURATE. ALT 3000 FT. COMPASS IS ON TOP PANEL FACILITATING TFC SCAN AND MONITORING HDG. WATCHING FOR TFC AND OBSERVING WET COMPASS, APPEARED TO BE ON COURSE. NOTICED DOWNTOWN TAMPA DEAD AHEAD, APPROX 15 MI. IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 2500 FT. CHKED GPS WHICH SHOWED COURSE TO BE 272 DEGS TRUE. COMPASS STILL SHOWED HDG 347 DEGS. IMMEDIATELY TURNED N. I WAS AT 2500 FT -- 500 FT BELOW FLOOR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. PROCEEDED N OVER X39 AND BKY. DISTANCES AND GND TRACK WERE RECORDED ON THE GPS MAP AND RECALLED FOR THIS RPT. NAV LIGHTS WERE ON AS I DEPARTED AT DAWN. TURNED NAV LIGHTS OFF. COMPASS SWUNG L FROM ERRONEOUS HDG TO ACTUAL HDG. I HAVE NEVER FLOWN THIS ACFT WITH THE NAV LIGHTS ON. SUGGEST ALL PLTS VERIFY VARIOUS ELECTRICAL LOADS DO NOT EFFECT THE WET COMPASS.

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.