A CE500 flight crew lost their directional gyroscope just after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	612224
Time
Date	200403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdk.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Citation I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	612224
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was the captain for a post maintenance test flight of an rvsm installation on a citation ii. After liftoff we were handed to ATC (atl departure) and controller assigned heading 090 degrees at 3000 ft. During the turn I sensed my directional gyroscope (dg) was incorrect. Leveling out the wings it gave a south heading, though we were heading northeast. I then consulted the co-pilot and he realized his directional gyroscope was also false and did not agree with mine. We looked at the magnetic compass and realized both our system were way off. I advised ATC of the problem and we were soon cleared to return to pdk. By using the GPS and magnetic compass I successfully returned safely to the airport. Looking back we were rushed due to planned flts following the test and must have forgotten to verify the instruments were correct. Fortunately it was VFR, though marginal due to haze. If IFR this could have been more difficult to handle. Contributing factor was that the aircraft was a customer's with some unfamiliar equipment and I had little recent flight experience in type.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CE500 FLT CREW LOST THEIR DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE JUST AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT FOR A POST MAINT TEST FLT OF AN RVSM INSTALLATION ON A CITATION II. AFTER LIFTOFF WE WERE HANDED TO ATC (ATL DEP) AND CTLR ASSIGNED HDG 090 DEGS AT 3000 FT. DURING THE TURN I SENSED MY DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE (DG) WAS INCORRECT. LEVELING OUT THE WINGS IT GAVE A S HDG, THOUGH WE WERE HDG NE. I THEN CONSULTED THE CO-PLT AND HE REALIZED HIS DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE WAS ALSO FALSE AND DID NOT AGREE WITH MINE. WE LOOKED AT THE MAGNETIC COMPASS AND REALIZED BOTH OUR SYS WERE WAY OFF. I ADVISED ATC OF THE PROB AND WE WERE SOON CLRED TO RETURN TO PDK. BY USING THE GPS AND MAGNETIC COMPASS I SUCCESSFULLY RETURNED SAFELY TO THE ARPT. LOOKING BACK WE WERE RUSHED DUE TO PLANNED FLTS FOLLOWING THE TEST AND MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN TO VERIFY THE INSTS WERE CORRECT. FORTUNATELY IT WAS VFR, THOUGH MARGINAL DUE TO HAZE. IF IFR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT THE ACFT WAS A CUSTOMER'S WITH SOME UNFAMILIAR EQUIP AND I HAD LITTLE RECENT FLT EXPERIENCE IN TYPE.

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.