Narrative:

After run-up, I contacted birmingham tower and advised I was ready for departure runway 24 intersection H4. I was immediately cleared for departure. After departing with the kfc 200 flight director engaged, I engaged the autoplt, which had been preset to a heading of 240 degrees, and set the elevator trim for the proper rate of climb. After handoff to birmingham departure control and continuing climb through 1000 ft, I was instructed to turn to heading 040 degrees to intercept V417, climb and maintain 5000 ft. I dialed in the assigned heading and the plane began a standard turn to the assigned heading. At this time, I am climbing through, as I recall, 2500-3000 ft, when I realized the plane was continuing through the assigned heading and was in a fairly steep turn and slight descent. I advised the controller that I had an equipment problem and when asked of my intentions, I first indicated I would like to return to the airport. I am at this time recovering from an unusual attitude. After hearing other pilots reporting the tops of 4200-4500 ft, I advised the controller that I would prefer to continue my climb above the tops and evaluate the situation once VFR on top. I had already disengaged the autoplt and the equipment failure appeared to be connected with the kfc 200 flight director/autoplt. The controller, who was very helpful throughout the incident, told me to do whatever I needed to do. After breaking through the tops and advising the controller, I was instructed to turn to a heading, as I recall of 350 degrees, to join V417. The flight was continued via 'VFR on top' until my return to jasper/walker county (jfx) where I elected the ILS approach to runway 27. The aircraft has been taken in for inspection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT HAD A TRACK AND ALTDEV AFTER THE ACFT FLT GUIDANCE SYS DID NOT TURN TO THE HEADING THE PLT EXPECTED.

Narrative: AFTER RUN-UP, I CONTACTED BIRMINGHAM TWR AND ADVISED I WAS READY FOR DEP RWY 24 INTXN H4. I WAS IMMEDIATELY CLRED FOR DEP. AFTER DEPARTING WITH THE KFC 200 FLT DIRECTOR ENGAGED, I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT, WHICH HAD BEEN PRESET TO A HEADING OF 240 DEGS, AND SET THE ELEVATOR TRIM FOR THE PROPER RATE OF CLB. AFTER HDOF TO BIRMINGHAM DEP CTL AND CONTINUING CLB THROUGH 1000 FT, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO HEADING 040 DEGS TO INTERCEPT V417, CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. I DIALED IN THE ASSIGNED HEADING AND THE PLANE BEGAN A STANDARD TURN TO THE ASSIGNED HEADING. AT THIS TIME, I AM CLBING THROUGH, AS I RECALL, 2500-3000 FT, WHEN I REALIZED THE PLANE WAS CONTINUING THROUGH THE ASSIGNED HEADING AND WAS IN A FAIRLY STEEP TURN AND SLIGHT DSCNT. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I HAD AN EQUIP PROB AND WHEN ASKED OF MY INTENTIONS, I FIRST INDICATED I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. I AM AT THIS TIME RECOVERING FROM AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE. AFTER HEARING OTHER PLTS RPTING THE TOPS OF 4200-4500 FT, I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WOULD PREFER TO CONTINUE MY CLB ABOVE THE TOPS AND EVALUATE THE SIT ONCE VFR ON TOP. I HAD ALREADY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND THE EQUIP FAILURE APPEARED TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE KFC 200 FLT DIRECTOR/AUTOPLT. THE CTLR, WHO WAS VERY HELPFUL THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT, TOLD ME TO DO WHATEVER I NEEDED TO DO. AFTER BREAKING THROUGH THE TOPS AND ADVISING THE CTLR, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO A HEADING, AS I RECALL OF 350 DEGS, TO JOIN V417. THE FLT WAS CONTINUED VIA 'VFR ON TOP' UNTIL MY RETURN TO JASPER/WALKER COUNTY (JFX) WHERE I ELECTED THE ILS APCH TO RWY 27. THE ACFT HAS BEEN TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION.

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.