Diversion to another airport by an MD80 flight crew when losing all navigation and heading capabilities after departure from sat, diverting to dfw, tx.

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Attributes
ACN	618804
Time
Date	200405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	618804
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation airspace violation : entry
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nav equip other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft system failure instruments/navigation. Immediately after takeoff, #1 directional gyro began precessing at approximately 40-60 degrees per min. During climb to cruise altitude, we were unable to use gfms or VOR navigation using either dfgc #1 or #2 because of conflicting readings and because both the flight directors and the autoplt were failing intermittently, but not at the same time. We were unable to find any resolution to the problem using the QRH, the operating manual or even trial and error, so I elected to divert to dfw. Dispatch was notified en route. No emergency was declared with ATC. A no-gyro approach to a normal landing was made at dfw. The landing was below maximum landing weight. After 90 mins of working on the aircraft, replacing gyros and directional gyros, maintenance was unable to fix the problem or explain why the multiple failures were occurring. The aircraft was taken out of service at that time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERSION TO ANOTHER ARPT BY AN MD80 FLT CREW WHEN LOSING ALL NAV AND HDG CAPABILITIES AFTER DEP FROM SAT, DIVERTING TO DFW, TX.

Narrative: ACFT SYS FAILURE INSTS/NAV. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, #1 DIRECTIONAL GYRO BEGAN PRECESSING AT APPROX 40-60 DEGS PER MIN. DURING CLB TO CRUISE ALT, WE WERE UNABLE TO USE GFMS OR VOR NAV USING EITHER DFGC #1 OR #2 BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING READINGS AND BECAUSE BOTH THE FLT DIRECTORS AND THE AUTOPLT WERE FAILING INTERMITTENTLY, BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME. WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROB USING THE QRH, THE OPERATING MANUAL OR EVEN TRIAL AND ERROR, SO I ELECTED TO DIVERT TO DFW. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED ENRTE. NO EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ATC. A NO-GYRO APCH TO A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE AT DFW. THE LNDG WAS BELOW MAX LNDG WT. AFTER 90 MINS OF WORKING ON THE ACFT, REPLACING GYROS AND DIRECTIONAL GYROS, MAINT WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROB OR EXPLAIN WHY THE MULTIPLE FAILURES WERE OCCURRING. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OUT OF SVC AT THAT 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.