Narrative:

I took off from cdw in VFR conditions with intention to fly towards robbinsville VOR. At run-up prior to takeoff, I adjusted my directional gyro to synchronize it with my compass. Immediately upon takeoff, I proceeded in same heading as runway according to my directional gyro. Tower asked my heading. I thought tower wanted my requested heading, so I indicated 210 degrees -- the direction of robbinsville VOR. Tower then indicated that I deviated from noise abatement procedures by turning too early. I acknowledged. I eventually turned to 210 degree heading to robbinsville (according to my directional gyro). After changing frequency to new york approach, I indicated on my initial announcement that I was, I believe, west of cdw. New york approach indicated that this was incorrect and I was in fact 8 mi west of nwk. I then learned that my directional gyro was out of synchronization with my compass. I informed new york approach of this, and adjusted my directional gyro accordingly. Then in accordance with ATC instructions, I adjusted my heading. I am not aware whether I actually entered class B airspace prior to ATC informing of my actual location 8 mi west of nwk. I believe my possible breach of class B airspace and deviation from noise abatement procedures at cdw were in large part due to the failure of the directional gyro to stay constant when altering RPM from run-up to climb power settings. A GPS would have been helpful to avoid this problem, but there was not one on board at the time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 TURNED TOO SOON AFTER TKOF FROM CDW RESULTING IN A DEV OF ARPT NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM CDW IN VFR CONDITIONS WITH INTENTION TO FLY TOWARDS ROBBINSVILLE VOR. AT RUN-UP PRIOR TO TKOF, I ADJUSTED MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO TO SYNCHRONIZE IT WITH MY COMPASS. IMMEDIATELY UPON TKOF, I PROCEEDED IN SAME HDG AS RWY ACCORDING TO MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO. TWR ASKED MY HDG. I THOUGHT TWR WANTED MY REQUESTED HDG, SO I INDICATED 210 DEGS -- THE DIRECTION OF ROBBINSVILLE VOR. TWR THEN INDICATED THAT I DEVIATED FROM NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS BY TURNING TOO EARLY. I ACKNOWLEDGED. I EVENTUALLY TURNED TO 210 DEG HDG TO ROBBINSVILLE (ACCORDING TO MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO). AFTER CHANGING FREQ TO NEW YORK APCH, I INDICATED ON MY INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I WAS, I BELIEVE, W OF CDW. NEW YORK APCH INDICATED THAT THIS WAS INCORRECT AND I WAS IN FACT 8 MI W OF NWK. I THEN LEARNED THAT MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO WAS OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION WITH MY COMPASS. I INFORMED NEW YORK APCH OF THIS, AND ADJUSTED MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO ACCORDINGLY. THEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS, I ADJUSTED MY HDG. I AM NOT AWARE WHETHER I ACTUALLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE PRIOR TO ATC INFORMING OF MY ACTUAL LOCATION 8 MI W OF NWK. I BELIEVE MY POSSIBLE BREACH OF CLASS B AIRSPACE AND DEV FROM NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS AT CDW WERE IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO TO STAY CONSTANT WHEN ALTERING RPM FROM RUN-UP TO CLB PWR SETTINGS. A GPS WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO AVOID THIS PROB, BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE ON BOARD AT THE TIME.

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.